XS: The Lion King 2
by ArtisticPrincess
Summary: Kimiko is the daughter of Chase Young, the greatest xioalin warrior of all time, she knows she has a lot to live up to, but the cute heylin boy she meets makes things a bit more complicated. AU.
1. New Dragon,New Master

**Xioalin Showdown /the Lion King 2**

Chapter one

A breeze carried over the mountains and across the moon, moving to a very specific place…the xioalin temper.

The white walls gleamed in the moonlight, the blue roof blending into the darkness. The breeze grew as it travels through the gate and about the courtyard, drawing the attention of a small, large headed yellow monk, who was balancing on the roof of the sleeping courters.

Omi was supposed to be asleep, Master Fung had told him so; His fellow dragon had gone without a second hesitation, but Omi felt he needed to work on his lotus strike, so he had snuck out and stuck to the roof as not to be seen. When the breeze went by him however all thoughts drifted away from his form and fallowed the wind as it traveled toward the temple vault.

Believing it could be an intruder, Omi jumped from the roof, landing quietly he moved in the shadows and peeked around the corner into the room.

The elder monks sat around the room, Master Fung had his back to Omi, and the boy quickly drew back and pressed to the wall. "It is a meeting of the masters…I should not be here…" He whispered to himself. He was about to leave when Master Fung spoke. "My fellow monks, we have a very important matter at hand involving the Dragon warriors…"

Omi stopped dead in his tracks, he was a good kid, but his curiosity was peeked. He crouched beside the door and listened.

The breeze picked up around him once more and Omi could tell it had a presence to it. A powerful presence he had never felt. It was not evil, in fact it reminded him of Master Fung, or Master Monk Guan...

This thought held Omi, until he was startled by a voice behind him. "What 'cha doing partner?" the voice yawned. Omi almost screamed but remembered he was ease dropping and silenced himself. He turned quickly to see his fellow Dragon Clay kneeling next to him and rubbing his eye.

"Oh, it is just you Clay, do you not see I am trying to be snaky?"

"You mean sneaky?"

"I stand corrected, now will you please to be making yourself scares…" Clay looked a bit confused, scratching his blond hair and staring at Omi with sleepy blue eyes as the small monk returned his attention to the vault.

Clay had felt the strange presence in the wind and had gone to investigate, but found Omi instead. He figured since he was up, and Omi was willing to break Master Fung's order to go to bed so he could spy, it had to be something worth spying on right?

So Clay put his ear to the wall and the two listened in on their masters...

Master Fung was lighting the pot of essence in the center of the room as he spoke, "As you all know, we have had the Dragons of earth and water for some time," The monks all nodded and murmured in understanding and Omi and Clay tensed slightly.

"We also know that the Dragons are incomplete. Without wind and fire, they remain unbalanced. We were lucky enough to find Clay, and to have Omi among us. But have been unsuccessful in locating the wind Dragon…" Again sounds of understanding.

The boys were getting anxious; They knew Master Fung had a big announcement with how this was going.

"We _have_ however been fortunate enough to receive the location of the _other _missing Dragon. And with this new student, we also welcome the return of one of our greatest allies and friends. _Chase Young_."

The two boys had peeked their heads around the door frame while Master Fung spoke. When he had finished his sentence, a man stepped out of the shadows and approached Master Fung.

He had long black hair tinted green and a single spike bang hung to the side, he wore a kind of armor that, though intimidating, was clearly xiaolin, and his eyes were brown with black slits like a lizards...

Clay personally thought the man looked strange, but when Omi saw him he almost shrieked in excitement and Clay had to cover the monk's mouth to keep him from blowing their cover.

The man stood before Master Fung, who smiled kindly, and they both bowed in respect. "We welcome you back to the temple Chase Young." Chase returned the smile with equal joy in his eyes. "It's an honor to be back old friend..." Chase walked to the center of the room and stood beside the burning essence. The breeze returned once more, whooshing into the room, weaving through the still seated monks and around Chase before it went up and out through the opened window on the ceiling.

All the monks knew the presence in the wind, though only Chase had known the presence as a person…

_Dashi_.

Chase smiled at the wind as it vanished, but became a bit more serious as he proceeded to speak to rest of the monks. "Some of you are probably wondering why I have left Master Monk Guan's temple... It is because I insisted on it. The new Dragon, you see, is my own child. I have every bit of faith in the temple to protect the Dragons, but I also believe I could pass my own knowledge to them as well. And so Master Fung has taken me in as the newest master, and my child as the Dragon of Fire."

Omi and Clay finished spying and immediately took off, ending up in the training yard. Omi was bouncing with excitement, literaly, as the two walked back to their rooms.

"Oh! A new Dragon! Clay do you know what this means?" Omi turned to face Clay with a huge smile.

"Another mouth to feed at supper time?" the texan replied, Omi thought a second, not catching the sarcasm.

"Well of course, but this is the child of Chase Young, he is probably going to be a piece of the circle!"

"Chip off the old block?"

"Correct. And who do you think will be left to train this new dragon?"

Clay rubbed the back of his head "Master Fung and the monks?"

Omi's face fell, getting slightly agitated, but he quickly regained his over exited attitude. "Well _yes_ if you wish to be getting specific! But not _just_ the masters, you and I also Clay. We shall teach him the greater parts of being a xioalin dragon…like how to fight! Hiya! " Omi began attacking a tree with multiple kicks and punches before jumping into the air and landing beside Clay once more. "...Or how to walk on walls." Omi did so and vanished around the corner; Clay ran to catch up and came face to face with omi before he jumped back down, scaring him slightly.

"I am telling you Clay, if he is anything like Chase Young, our new dragon shall be a greatly valued addition to our team…"

"That's _'She'_ Omi."

Both boys turned to see Master Fung standing behind them, a knowing look on his face as always. Beside him stood Chase Young and a young girl in xioalin robes with long black hair pulled up in pigtails.

"Young monks, I would like you to meet Kimiko, the dragon of fire." Master Fung motioned to the girl, and she waved to the boys with a bright smile.

Clay tipped his hat, which he of course would still have on in the middle of the night, and smiled back. "It's a pleasure ma'am."

"A _GIRL_!" was Omi's only response before he passes out.

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><p><strong>Authors note: hey decided to redo the first chapter in some spare time. :) <strong>

**the _real_ new chapter will be up soon. I promise! **

**thanks :)**


	2. Family Momment

Chapter 2

_3 months later…_

The dawn breaks, it's a beautiful bright morning shinning on the xiaolin temple, Kimiko had gotent dressed in her robes quickly and now stood in the doorframe to the temple, "Wow…" She didn't know if she'd ever get use to the sight of the temple gardens, or the temple itself. Master Monk Guan's temple was nice, but there was just something about this place and its subtle appearance that made her love it so much.

She was feeling very energetic and decided to go outside the temple. She started running toward the gate, and for no real reason decided to try a move she had been trying for weeks now. "Judolette Flip! Fire!" Kimiko jumped into the air and tried to make the fire work with her, but ultimately failed to even make any, and barley landed on her feet. She landed with her back to the gate and tried to regain her footing when she backed into something…or someone.

"And where do you think you're going?" Kimiko quickly turned to see Chase Young smirking down at her. She smiled back and pushed him jokingly and they both laughed, Kim loved hearing his laugh. She regained herself and started walking for the gate, but Chase stepped in the way, completely blocking off the exit. "Dad, let me through!" Kim tried to sound serious, but her giggles ruined it.

"You didn't answer me, where are you going young one?" Chase was smiling but he was very serious.

"I'm just going for a walk dad, that's not dangerous…" Kimiko crossed her arms and glanced off to the side, she loved her dad, she loved being a warrior like him, but he was just so protective! She could never do anything without him questioning her.

Chase mimicked her and crossed his arms while giving her his no nonsense look."I just want you to be careful, you know how many enemies the temple has, you going out on your own means you could easily be attacked-"

"…attacked, or capture, or even get killed. I know dad, I know…" Kimiko had heard this speech enough times. Chase smiled at her, but he continued. "Remember, you need to stay in xiaolin territory at-"

"…At all times. I know! And if I see any strangers don't talk to them, and come straight home, dad I'm not five anymore, can I go now?"

Kim was ranting by now but she figured she should take a better approach if she hoped to get out of there. She put her hands together, tilted her head to the side slightly, pouted, and gave her best puppy dog eyes. "_Please?_"

Chase laughed at her quick change in attitude. "Very funny."

Kimiko was pretty red in the face with frustration by now, but it quickly became out of embarrassment as a new voice came. "Be more mindful of your elders' Kimiko." Both of them turned to face Master Fung as he joined them. Kimiko tried to avoid eye contact with the xiaolin master. "Yes, Master Fung." she mummbled.

Chase nodded to the master, then returned his attention to his daughter, "And stay clear of the land of nowhere."

Kimiko returned her eyes to the two men just as Dojo seemed to slither out of nowhere and curl onto master fung's shoulder.

"Nothing out there but a bunch of no good backstabbing heylin jerks!" Kimiko thought the dragon was just being overly dramatic as usual until Chase spoke up.

"Dojos right. You can't turn your back on them."

As Chase spoke his eyes glazed over, like he was getting lost in a memory. This made Kim curious and she heard herself asking him what he meant.

Chase snapped out of his trance and gave her a smile. "It's nothing, go on and be back before your training session with the other Dragons."

Kim would have taken her chance to leave and jumped, but now she felt like she was being shoved off. "But why can't I..!" Chase held up a hand while putting the other behind his back. Kimiko immediately got quiet. "You'll understand someday, Kimiko. Now run along." He stepped aside so she could leave, she looked up at Chase who smiled warmly at her, and she returned the smile before running off.

Chase watched her leave and called to her to stay on the path, and be careful. When she was out of sight Chase noticed Master Fung and Dojo staring at him out of the corner of his eye.

"What?"

Dojo smiles slyly, "Doesn't she remind you of someone?"

Chase raised an eyebrow. "No. Who?"

Dojo gave Chase a look and Master Fung spoke up. "Eager, strong, cunning, and bold, from what I've seen and what Dojo has told me, Kimiko has proven to be much like you were in your youth."

Chase stared at the two for a moment before returning his gaze to the pathway. "That's what scares me."

Dojo jumped onto Chase's shoulder. "What do ya mean?"

Chase glanced at him. "If you recall, I almost went to the heylin side in my youth. If not for Dashi I would be your enemy, and Hannibal may still be alive. Its curse enough I was tricked into drinking that dame soup... I could not live with myself if anything happened to Kimiko like what happened to me... "

Chase closed his eyes and cringed slightly at the memory but returned to the present at the hand on his shoulder,

"The dark shadows of the past can be chased away by the bright future of the generation ahead." Master Fung stated calmly,

"Yeah Chase, Kim is a good kid, she'll be fine." Dojo returned to Master Fung's side and they both smiled at Chase. His eyes moved between them before he nodded and the master and dragon walked back into the temple.

Chase watched them leave and spoted Omi and Clay by the training ground. "Young Dragons..." the boys turned to him and he motioned for them to come.

Both smiled happily at their master.

"Good day Chase Young." Omi said cheerfully.

"What's up partner?" Clay asked, tipping his hat.

Chase returned his eyes once more to the pathway. "I want you two to fallow Kimiko, you both know she's more than likely to get into some kind of trouble." The boys looked at each other; Clay knew Kimiko was able to take care of herself, Omi on the other hand…well he was Omi.

"Do not fear my friend. We shall be gazing at her like buzzards!" Chase's head snapped to face them with a confused and slightly worried look.

"I'm guess in he means 'watching her like hawks.'" Clay piped up quickly.

"That too!"

Chase looked at them warily then turned a stern look to the horizon. "I'm counting on you two... There could be danger behind every rock."

The boys stared at the master a moment after the ominous comment, but Omi quickly bowed, Clay gave a salute, and the two began running after their fellow Dragon.

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><p><strong>authors note: i got so may responses after the first chapter i decided to put up the<strong> **second one as quick as i could. i hope im able to upload this right, im still kind of confused on alot of these things, and i hope everyone likes this :) i apreciate constructive critisisum, maybe suggestions, but NO FLAMES! thank you for reading, and i hope you like the story so far.**

**( re-uploaded.)**


	3. Good news, Bad news,

Chapter 3

Kimiko had long since run off the path and into the tall fields of grass. There was a breeze sweeping all around her and through the fields, making the sights all the more breathtaking, but Kimiko wasn't paying it any mind.

She was still thinking about the move she had tried earlier. She felt like she should be able to do it no problem, so why was it taking so long for her to get it right!

_I just need to take a breath, and concentrate. _

She held out her palm and lit a small fire in it, she watch the flames dance around her hand and twirl around her fingers, then let it die down. It was easy to make fire like that, but when she tried any other way, it just wouldn't work right. Maybe it was just the pressure of training? Maybe it was just all the the stress of trying to get it? She looked around and breathed in her surroundings.

_Can't get any less stressed then this. _

Kimiko took in a deep breath then took her stance. "Juliette Flip!" she jumped high into the air with ease, _now the hard part_, "Fire!" Kimiko focused on nothing but flames, trying to let them work with her, she watched as her hand ignited slightly, and quickly lost focus in her sudden joy.

Kimiko failed to land gracefully this time and instead landed face first in a pile of dirt. "Ow…why can't I get this stupid move!" Kimiko got to her knees and rubbed her head in frustration. Then opened her eyes and stared ahead of her. "Huh?" Kimiko looked ahead in aw, in the far distance, cradled by the closer mountains was what looked like an active volcano, steam poured from the top in a curling gray swirl, "Wow..." Kimiko was instantly entranced by the eerie beauty of the volcano. She hadn't even known there _were_ any active volcanoes around the temple.

She walked forward in a trance onto a rock ledge a few feet over a small pond. She didn't really notice though, her eyes were locked ahead_. Maybe if I went where there was a large amount of fire, the move will come easier to me… _Kimiko noticed something strange, and stepped closer to the edge of the rock; _does that volcano have a face…? _

Her thoughts were finally interrupted by the sound of a twig snapping and grass shifting behind her; she turned abruptly and saw a large figure behind a rock move toward her. without thinking Kimiko let out a scream. In return the figure, which turned out to be Omi on Clay's shoulders, screamed back. Kimiko had jumped back and her foot went over the side of the rock, sending her falling into the pond with another scream.

Omi jumped off Clay and ran to the edge of the rock and search over the edge for Kimiko, but she was below the surface. "Looks like were going in after her little buddy…" Clay stepped forward but Omi held up a hand "There is no time! Tsunami Strike! Water!" Omi jumped into the air over the pond and the water rose out of the pond and swirled around Omi, who was spinning in mid-air like a top. As Omi drained the water from the pond, Clay stood on the rock watching and contemplating his last words, "Okay, let's see,…howdy there Chase, the good news is we found Kimiko, the bad news is we almost drowned her…" Clay _really_ hoped he wouldn't have to be the one to tell him what happened…

Finally Omi stopped spinning and landed in the few inches of water still remaining in the pond and began yelling "Kimiko? Kimiko!" Clay looked down and his eyes widened. "Omi!" Said boy looked up. Clay continued, a little frantic. "I feel right now I should be defining the term: _Babysitting_!" Omi didn't get it till he heard a gurgling noise beneath him; he looked down and realized he was standing on Kimiko's back.

Omi jumped back with a yelp, and Kimiko pushed herself up gasping for air. Omi took her arm and helped her to her feet, after which she shot him a death glare. "My apologies Kimiko…" Clay met them in the water and brought Kimiko back to the rock and sat her down. "Now listen Kimi, you're a xiaolin dragon _and_ Chases' daughter. You should know better than to go off ridden' solo. Ya could of been hurt." Kimiko tried to argue with him but at the mention of her being hurt, Omi went crazy.

"Hurt? Oh, Chase Young would kill us!" Omi grabbed her arm and started examining it. "Any bruises? Cuts? Concussions?" Kimiko pulled her arm back. "Aside from you almost drowning me, I'm fine."

Omi rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously, "Yes, well…you would not mind keeping that among us would you…?" Kimiko glanced at Clay who looked almost as nervous; _man, dad scared them that much?_

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Fine, but what are you two doing here anyway?" Omi and Clay both seemed to ignore her and turned to each other, backs to her as if it could prevent her from hearing them.

Clay was clearly going into big brother mode. "Omi, what were you thinking? Chase said to keep an eye on Kimiko, not kill her!"

Kimiko's head shot up. "Wait, my dad had you two fallow me!" they ignored her.

"If we had simply swam in the water as you suggested, Kimiko would most likely have drowned!" Omi argued.

"Hey guys?"

"She almost drowned cuz you tossed her around in your water tornado and then walked all over her!"

"…Guys?"

"Well if you had made a more helpful suggestion!"

"Will the two of you just _shut up_ and _listen to me_!"

Omi turned around with a cheesy smile "I am sorry I was not listening, were you speaking Kimiko?" Kimiko was red in anger again, "I'm not_ just_ Chase Young's daughter you know!" she got off the rock, walked right up to Omi and pulled on his robed while showing him a fire lit fist. "I'm a xiaolin dragon now, so you need to stop treating me like I'm some weak little girl who can't handle myself! Got it!"

She was seriously contemplating ripping Omi's head off and kicking it into the grass like a soccer ball until Clay placed a hand on her shoulder and snapped her back to reality. "We know you can handle yourself Kimi; you're a real tuff cowgirl. We were just fallowing orders from someone who cares about you, you can understand that."

Kimiko let go of Omi and nodded to Clay, who patted her shoulder in response. "Come on let's go back to the temple and do some sparing." Kim stayed where she was and watched as the two boys took a few steps forward, "Oh yes Kimiko! Your element of fire will be MOST exiting to battle against! Though it shall be no match for me! For water is the _GREATEST_ element!"

"Excuse me?" both Clay and Kimiko responded with glares at the young monk.

"I think something hit your head when you were draining that lake little buddy. Cause _earth_ is the best element." Kimiko was about to respond but Omi's mouth went off quicker.

"Oh ho-ho, my dear naive friend Clay, you are sorely mistaken. Water is indeed the best."

"No partner, earth is."

"No it is water."

"Earth,"

"Water,"

"Earth!"

"Water!"

"EARTH!"

"WATER!"

Kimiko watched as the two went back and forth for a moment but then she caught sight of the volcano again. She figured the boys would be going on for another hour or two before they remembered she had even been there, so she took her cue and ran through the puddle that was the pond and headed toward the mountains.

Not thinking even for a second it could have been Heylin territory…

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><p><strong>authors note: thank you to the readers so far. and to the patiently waiting raikim fans, you'll only have to wait till the next chapter. :) i hope i did well on this chapter, and I still appreciate feedback.<strong>

**(re-uploaded)**


	4. Demon Squirrels ?

Chapter 4

Kimiko was walking through the land of nowhere, but of course she didn't know that. To her it was just a very dead, grey forest. Kim had taken a few paths that had honestly scared her, and she still felt no closer to the volcano.

_Maybe I took a wrong turn back somewhere… _

Kimiko would have probably realized how lost she was and freaked out, but her thoughts had distracted her again and she miss-stepped and went tumbling down a dirt hill, making impacted with something, and landed in a clearing circled by many tall, dead trees.

Kim lifted her head slightly and groaned. _What did I hit?_ To answer her thought, she heard another groan from beneath her; she looked down and instantly met a pair of emerald green eyes staring in shock into her now very wide blue ones.

She let out a small yelp and jumped back off the person she had run into. The boy, turned out it was a boy, stood up shakily at first but then stopped dead and stared at her and she in turn did the same. The boy looked about her age, he had spikey brown hair, and tan skin, she guessed he was a warrior by how he was built, and the black and red robes he was wearing.

He seemed to just now be noticing her training robes and in a flash his face went harsh and he took up a fighting stance. "What are you doing here _xiaolin_?"

The boy moved forward slightly and Kimiko jumped to her feet and found herself backed into a tree. She tried to light her hand on fire, but she was too scared to do it right. The boy raised an eyebrow at her and dropped his stance; to him she just looked weird. "What are you doing?"

Kimiko put on a brave face with much effort. "My father said to never turn my back to a Heylin!" the boy smirks at her and let out a chuckle. "Aw, your daddy told you that?" Kimiko blushed a deep red. "Shut up!" her reaction only made the boy's chuckles turn to a laugh. "I feel sorry for you; having to take orders from your dad _and_ your masters."

The boy turned his back to her and leaned on a different tree across from her. "On the heylin side you dont take orders from nobody. I do what I want to do." Kimiko actually was a bit impressed. Though she didn't know if it was from what he said, or just the boy himself. "Really, that's so cool."

The boy turned to her with a smirk that made her blush again, but it quickly vanished. The boy looked over her head and let out a scream; Kimiko quickly looked up and saw a huge pair of raging red eyes staring down at her. She jumped away from the tree just as a blast of fire would have swallowed her.

Her and the boy stared as their attacker climbed down the tree. Kimiko raised in eyebrow. "Is that a giant…squirrel?"

It was. A ravines looking, humongous gray squirrel larger than either of them landed on the ground a few feet in front of them, it then drew back its head and breathed an inferno of fire at them. "Move!" the boy grabbed Kimiko's wrist and pulled her behind a tree. "No, that's a giant squirrel that _breaths fire_! Come on!" still holding her wrist, the boy weaves through the maze of dead trees in an effort to escape the monster; Kimiko was having a lot of trouble keeping up, almost tripping on her own feet a few times. She was relieved when he stopped running and they both fell against a tree gasping for air.

As the two slowly regained their breaths the situation settled into their brains and they couldn't help but laugh. How could they not? They were running for their lives from a _squirrel._

"Man that thing was ugly! Also in desperate need of a breath mint." the boy waved his hand by his face for emphasis, this made Kimiko laughed even harder. But the two stopped abruptly when they heard a hissing sound overhead. "Uh-oh…" they both looked up to see dozens of red eyes staring down at them.

"RUN!" The boy grabbed her hand, not her wrist, her _hand_, and the two started running until he stopped in front of a huge tree that seemed to be empty of any squirrels. "Hold on." Kimiko was about to ask why when he picked her up bridal style and jumped into the air "Wind!" a huge gust of wind swirled around them and the two flew to a branch that was easily 3 or 4 stories high and landed with ease.

He sat her down and turned just as the army of squirrels came running out of the trees toward them. "Stay here." He ordered. "Where am I going to go?" he smirked at her then jumped out of the tree, once again he used the wind, this time to land safely.

"Hey! Wait!" Kimiko called back to him. "You can't just leave me up here!" he looked up, she could barely see him, but she heard him clear enough. _Man this guy has a loud voice. _"You'll be safe up there! I can handle these fur balls!" Kimiko rolled her eyes at the macho man routine. "Fur balls with fangs and breathe fire!"

She could just feel that his face had fallen in his voice. "Oh…right…forgot about that…" before she could scold the boy further a blast of fire went hurtling toward him. "Look out!" he turned just in time to duck out of the way. But another squirrel was behind him now and slammed him into the tree.

He looked up at the mob of squirrels as they approached. The boy was frozen in fear and even if he wasn't he was surrounded, he covered his head with his arms and waited for either fire or fangs or maybe both…

"Judolette Flip! Fire!" the boy felt a sudden rise in tempter, but no burning. He slowly uncovered his face and saw Kimiko standing between him and a dozen or so fleeing squirrels. And between her and the squirrels was a wall of fire. "Wow…" the fire died and Kimiko turned to him and helped him to his feet quickly, "Come on, we got to go before they come back!"

Right on cue they heard hissing again and began running as more squirrels emerged from the woods. She grabed his hand and pulled him forward, after running a few feet the boy took the lead again and started pulling her in a different direction, "No, wait! I came from that way!" they could hear that the squirrels were catching up, "I know a short cut, let's go!"

Kimiko didn't question him she just kept running; she could see they were heading toward a path between the cliffsides of two mountains, though she didn't know how that would help them. The squirrels would just fallow them.

Suddenly she saw a blast of fire shoot past them and disintegrate a tree. Both of them jumped away but kept running. "I got an idea, grab on." Kimiko didn't question him; he wrapped an arm around her waist and she wrapped both her arms around him. "Wind!" a huge gust of wind picked the two up and shot them forward into the path between the mountains, as they landed they went skidding on the ground a few feet. The mountain shook from the sudden impact of the wind and large rocks started falling close to the entrance.

The two stayed where they were on the ground a moment out of breath and terrified. They had let go of each other on impanct and were laying side by side. After a moment they heard hissing again and turn to the entrance quickly. The dust from the wind and rocks finally settled and the two saw the devil squirrels struggling to get to them from the other side of a large rock pile-up.

Both just stared in disbelief, still out of breath, but they finally turned to each other and smiled. "Well…were alive…" the boy coughed, Kim smiled and nodded as a feeling of relief and accomplishment washed over her.

She suddenly froze, it had just dawned on her that in her haste to save this guy, she had finally done the Judolette Flip! "…I did it…I did it!" Kimiko jumped to her feet and danced around in excitement. The boy laughed as he joined her. "Yeah, we rock! Take that ya overgrown road kill!" the squirrels response to his taunting was to shoot more fire at him, which he quickly tried to dodge, but did not escape having his pants singed and falling on his butt.

"Hot, Hot, Hot!" Kimiko laughed at him before helping him to his feet. "Do you always have to fight fire spurting mammals around here?" She joked. "If I did you'd think I could avoid getting my butt singed off, wouldn't you?" they both laughed and started walked together through the mountain path.

Neither one aware that pair of green eyes was watching them…

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><p><strong>authors note: aww a blooming romance :) hope i have pleased the raikim fans thus far. and that everyone is enjoying the story.<strong>

**anyway i have a favor to ask, as you all know, the movie for this parody has music coming up. the thing is that i have no idea what i should do about those parts! there important so i need to have them but its hard to know how. so could someone help me with a suggestion, or the updates will go slower while i try to figure it out on my own...thank you. **


	5. Bye For Now

Chapter 5

The boy had been able to lead Kimiko through the mountains with ease, and the two had finally re-entered xiaolin territory.

Though neither really noticed since they had been talking and laughing since they had escaped the demon squirrels.

"Oh my god, Did you see those eyes! They actually scared me more than the fire breathing!"

The boy smirked at Kimiko, "Well you have no reason to be afraid of fire _I_ on the other hand do!" he gestured to the burn mark on his pants, "But honestly I couldn't get past the teeth!"

They both continued to laugh while joking over their near death by 'furry creatures from hell'_, _as they did the pair of dark green eyes watched them from _very_ close by.

"And did you see me do that flip? That tree was like…5 stories tall and I landed right in time and blasted there hides!" Kimiko did a backflip and punched and kicked the air for effect. The boy laughed greatly at this, he held his ribs and had to wipe a tear from his eye. "Ha-ha! Yeah, guess we make a good team huh?"

Kim looked back at him and blushed slightly. The boy looked really cute when he laughed, and he laughed _a lot_…

"Yeah…I guess we do…" she twirled her hair around her finger absentmindedly and looked off to the side. "you were really brave back there…" she was still blushing and tried to avoid eye contact, much to the relief of the boy who went red himself at the compliment. After a few seconds he smiled and stepped a bit closer to her, "Yeah, you were brave too you know."

Kimiko looked at him and saw he had his hand extended, "My names Raimundo."

If she had stopped blushing before, the smile on his face brought it right back. But she still smiled and shook his hand. "I'm Kimiko."

The owner of the green eyes, now closer than before, growled in anger at hearing Kimiko's name. But they were unheard by the two as the shook hands and stood quietly a moment after…

Kimiko didn't really know what to do. She couldn't help but blush anytime she looked Raimundo for more than 5 seconds! But she also really didn't want him to leave, especially after the two had saved each other repeatedly in the last hour…

So being the ever clever dragon of fire. She decided it might be fun to challenge him to an ancient and sacred xiaolin training ritual that she herself, Omi, and Clay had performed dozens of times.

So before he knew what she was doing, Kimiko punched Raimundo in the arm, playfully but hard, and started running off.

"Tag! You're it!" she called back laughing.

It took Raimundo a second to stop focusing on his throbbing arm, and to comprehend what was happening. "Dang girl! You punch too hard." he called after her. She turned and stopped running at the bottom of the hill. "Come on, I said 'you're it.'" She smirked at the 'not funny' look that he gave her and continued running toward the woods. Raimundo finally smiled and started running after her. "Better watch your back!"

Kimiko is running through the woods and laughing in fear as Raimundo starts gaining.

"Hey! No using the wind that's cheating!" she yelled back to him.

"You never said that, so it doesn't count." Raimundo then puts on more speed and gets way closer.

Kimiko laughed and tries to run faster but trips on a tree branch while looking back at her pursuer.

"Ha! I got you now!"

Raimundo was just a few feet behind her and closing, Kimiko knew she had no chance of getting away in time so, like anyone really swept up in the game might do, she shut her eyes and let out a scream.

But she didn't even hear herself as an ear splitting roar ripped through the quiet afternoon.

Kimiko's eyes shot open and crouching protectively between her and Raimundo (who had fallen over onto his back in shock) was a large green and black dragon. It took only a moment for Kimiko to realize who it was.

The dragon roared again and moved toward Raimundo, who crawled back quickly until he ran into someones leg. Both he and Kimiko looked up to see a woman with long red hair, and green eyes, in a black dress. She held up a hand toward chase that was glowing with green energy.

Chase stood and returned to his human form.

"Wuya…" he hissed in anger and stepped back slightly closer to Kimiko.

Wuya grew a smile that was either hiding hatred or was of utter delight. Kimiko figured it was both.

"Chase Young…" she looked as if she were about to attack when she suddenly grew wide eyed and her hand stopped glowing.

Kimiko turned around just as Clay and Omi came up beside her and helped her to her feet. She then saw Master Fung join the group with Dojo on his shoulder. Wuya took on a more casual stance

"Fung…" she looked at formerly glowing hand in a bored way as she spoke.

Master Fung on the other hand seemed to be bordering sending her a death glare. "Wuya…"

"Clay, Omi, and Dojo." Dojo chimed in cheerily, "Great now that were all aquatinted…" dojo launched himself right into Wuya's face. "GET OUT OF OUR LAND AND BACK OFF OUR TEMPLE!"

Kimiko stared in shock and slight admiration at Dojo's boldness. But then Wuya hissed "_Your_ temple?" and bared her sharp teeth at Dojo, who in turn screamed and quickly retreated to hide under Clay's hat.

Wuya let out a cruel laugh "these lands were rightfully conquered by Hannibal Bean, too bad he isn't around anymore to claim them now isn't it Chase?" Chase growled at the heylin witch, but he remembered Kimiko was there and was able to collect himself. "These lands are protected by the Xiaolin temple, _you_ were banished from here. This is your only warning: you and your fellow heylin _get out._"

Raimundo and Kimiko glanced at each other in terror.

Kimiko had guessed he was a warrior, and by now she had figured out she had been in heylin territory, but she had never guessed that _he_ was a heylin warrior!

Wuya's voice snapped Kimiko out of her thoughts. "Oh that's right, you never met. Chase Young, this is Raimundo, Heylin dragon of the wind, and my apprentice."

Chase glared down at Raimundo who had yet to get off the ground. He cringed under the man's glare but managed to smile nervously and gave an equally nervous laugh as he waved to the opposite side.

Dojo peeked out from under Clay's and looked at Raimundo.

"Ha! That's the best you can do for an apprentice Wuya? A shaky leaf of the wind!" he laughed hysterically until he caught sight of Wuya's death glare and he immediately retreated into Clay's hat in silence.

Wuya seemed to change attitudes in a snap, as her features went calm…almost _caring _even. She kneeled next to Raimundo, placed a hand on his shoulder, and smiled at him like someone might at a puppy they had just adopted.

"Raimundo here is like a son to me, I'm all he has since he had been growing up on the streets when I found him," Raimundo looked away from everyone as Wuya continued. "After all, it appeared that you xiaolin monks were far too busy to notice his gifts yourselves. So why shouldn't I have taken him under my wing?" Chase was getting frustrated by now.

"Enough, Wuya! You know the penalty for returning to xiaolin territory." He couldn't stop the venom in his voice, Wuya's smile widened at knowing she was getting under his skin. She stood and put her hands on her hips.

"Why of course _I_ do. But Raimundo however did not; I simply came to retrieve him. Any _humane_ being would understand that, wouldn't you agree, Chase?" Chase remained silent but glared at her. Wuya continued, retaining a casual attitude.

"But laws are laws, no exceptions to you xiaolin correct? So by all means…" Wuya took a few steps back, leaving Raimundo sitting where he was as an open target. "Go ahead… if you can."

Kimiko covered her mouth with her hands and tried to move forward but Clay held her in place by the shoulder. Chase noticed her fear however; he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye then returned to Raimundo who was shaking slightly in fear.

Chase then met Wuya's glare, she had a smug look of victory on her face, she would feel she'd proven something no matter what he did.

Either he was a coward, or a monster.

Chase finally sighed and turned halfway to leave, "Take him and go. We're finished here." Chase walked up to the dragons and placed a hand on Kimiko's shoulder. She looked at him with both fear and relief.

"Oh no, Chase…" Wuya walked right up to them, and Kimiko could feel Chase's grip tighten on her.

"We have just barely begun." Wuya smiled at Kimiko darkly, and sent a cold chill up her spine.

Raimundo stood up as Wuya walked back to him, "Come now, Raimundo." She placed a hand on his back and steered him back down the path toward heylin territory.

Kimiko and the others watched them a moment before turning to go home. Kimiko looked over her shoulder to see Raimundo doing the same, she mouthed the word "Bye." and he did the same before they both vanished from the others sight.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: next chapter has music like i said, so it's going to take me a little longer then the other chapters. i thank you all for the patience, comments, and favorits :)<strong> **thank you for reading.**


	6. Father Daughter Talk

Chapter 6

When the group reached the end of the forest Dojo supersized to take them home; you could see the temple at the bottom of the hill, but you wouldn't reach it till sunset by walking so everyone climbed onto dojo… well, almost everyone.

Chase still had a hand on Kimiko's shoulder and showed no sign of moving toward Dojo. She stole a glance at him and could clearly see he wasn't happy.

Once everyone else had climbed on Dojo turned to the two, "Hey, Chase, You coming?" Chase simply cleared his throat and gestured to Kimiko slightly, the message was clear. He wanted to talk to her alone.

Kim looked to the boys, desperately pleading them to stay or help get her out of this. Omi tried to hide his snickering at her situation, Clay gave her a look that said '_good luck_' and flicked Omi upside the head before Dojo took off and left Kimiko alone with her father.

Chase let go of her shoulder, Kimiko turned to face him; he stood a little further back with concern written on his face. She smiled at him nervously and he gave her a look that made her drop any hope of avoiding the scolding she'd heard plenty of times before.

"Kimiko, what were you doing, do you realize how much danger you were in?" his voice was calm but full of disappointment. Kim quickly tried to gain sympathy, "Dad I'm sorry, I…I didn't mean to…" Chase held up a hand and Kimiko once again fell silent.

Chase sighed and kneeled to be at eye level with her and put a hand on her shoulder again. "I only tell you these things because I don't want to lose you, you're my whole world Kimiko, you know that." she tried to avoiding his eye, "I know." Chase stood again and crossed his arms. "And my enemies know it to. This is why I don't approve of you going off on your own…"

Kimiko continued to look off to the side and didn't respond, so Chase continued. "I may not always be there to protect you, so you'll need to learn to rely on your fellow dragons. You have a duty to…" Kim finished while resisting the urge to role her eyes. "…a duty to the world and the xiaolin way, I know." Chase ignored the sarcasm in her response. "Exactly, and as the future dragon of fire…" Kimiko stomped her foot in frustration and turned her back to Chase. "What if I don't want to be the dragon of fire anymore? …It's too hard..."

Kimiko sat at the edge of the hill and looked down at the temple. She had been honest. Sometimes being a xiaolin dragon was hard, especially being the only girl. But everyone just assumed she could handle it because of who her father was…well everyone except Omi who still tried to grasp the idea of a girl being a dragon in the first place.

Chase walked up and sat beside her. "That's like not wanting to be a warrior at all; it's in your blood. Like me …We are connected, and nothing can break that." Kimiko met his eye for a moment, there wasn't any disappointment anymore. just the kindness any dad would show to his upset daughter. But Kimiko quickly turned away from him and huffed in an effort to remain mad.

Chase thought a moment and came to a decision. "I've obviously been repeating myself to explain things haven't I…" Kim looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Maybe I should try explaining things differently…" Chase had taken a meditating position and motioned for her to do the same. She raised an eyebrow but did so.

"What are we doing…?" Kimiko knew she probably shouldn't question him but she hated not being in on things. Chase simply smiled. "I'm going to show you my memories. It's time you knew certain things, and it will also help you understand why I do and say what I have. Now close your eyes and let your mind settle." Kimiko closed her eyes for a few moments, thinking of nothing in complete silence, until Chase told her she could open them again.

Kimiko opened her eyes and found she was floating in complete darkness, there was no sign of her father, she watched in amazement as the darkness swirled around her and took on color and form…

_**As you train through life you'll see**_

_**There is so much that we  
>don't understand...<strong>_

Kimiko and Chase were standing at the sidelines watching a younger Chase and Monk Guan, training in the courtyard of the unfinished Xiaolin temple.

Younger Chase and Guan performed a few impressive forms then bowed to Dashi. Dashi nodded and presented Guan with a new sash, but not Chase. Kimiko looked at her dad in disbelief. "But you were just as good as Guan! Why didn't you get promoted too?"Chase simply motioned for her to keep watching the scene.

Guan put a hand on Chase's shoulder and tried to say something but Chase just pulled away and stormed off. "At the time I didn't understand it either…and this would only add to my disappointments that led to my greatest mistake." Kimiko turned to him just as darkness swallowed her.

_**And the only thing we know...  
>Is thing's don't always go...<br>The way we planned...**_

Kimiko and Chase now stood in the woods, in the middle of the night. She saw the younger chase facing a tree that had a weird looking bird on it staring at him.

After what looked like a moment of chase talking to the bird, a little red dot jumped off its back and landed on a stump in front of chase. Kimiko leaned in closer and saw the little red dot pull out a golden bowl with a dragon head on the side and hand it to Chase.

A moment passed before Kimiko realized what was happening and turned to her father. "No…" he nodded in sorrow. "I had hoped and fought all my life to be the greatest warrior of all…I got what I wanted…but for too high a price…" Kimiko allowed a tear to roll down her cheek, but Chase wiped it away and smiled at her before the darkness made him vanish.

_**But you'll see, every day, that they'll never turn away...  
>When it seems all your dreams come undone.<strong>_

Kimiko and Chase then landed beside the destroyed xiaolin temple.

The younger Chase kneeled before the steppes of the entrance. Monk Guan and a few other monks stood in the gateway; Guan had his spear in hand.

"My brothers," young Chase said. "I have betrayed you all, and the xiaolin way…I do not deserve your forgiveness…I put my life in your hands to end…"

Kimiko covered her mouth in distress, she was about to run forward to try to stop them. But to her shock and relief, Guan dropped his spear and held out his hand to Chase."You may not feel you deserve it, but I and the other xiaolin still forgive you my friend."

Kimiko sighed in relief and looked at her dad, who was smiling. He snapped his fingers and they were once again in the dark.

_**We will stand by your side**_

_**Filled with hope and filled with pride**_

_**We are more, then we are**_

_**We are one.  
><strong>_

This time Kimiko didn't go to a different place, instead memories of her own floated around her in the dark, her best memories. like when Omi, her, and Clay training together for the first time, or when Dojo had first taken them to go flying, when she had learned some new moves from Master Fung, or when her dad had first let her train with him…

She smiled as the images of her friends and family went by. They were everything to her, they always were there for her, they always looked out for her…but…

Kimiko looked around, she couldn't see her father anywhere, but she still had a felling he could hear her._  
><em>

"_**If there's so much I must be, Can I still just be me? The way I am? Can I trust in my own heart? Or am I just one part of Dashi's plan?"**_**  
><strong>

Kimiko called her thought into the dark.

Sometimes, she felt the monks tried to make her someone diffrent, into who they thought was the right to be a dragon of fire.

Kimiko had once been told once that Master Dashi had chosen all the dragons for a greater purpose. She would often wonder if that was all she'd ever be...the chosen dragon with some great destiny, instead of just Kimiko...

The memories vanished, the darkness also faded and Kimiko found herself standing next to her dad again.

_**Even those who are gone are with us as we go on.**_

_**Your journey has only begun...  
><strong>_

_**Tears of pain,  
><strong>__**Tears of joy  
><strong>_

_**One thing nothing can destroy  
><strong>_

_**Is our pride, deep inside.  
><strong>_

_**We are one...  
><strong>_

Kimiko and her dad watched in silence as young Chase kneeled at a shrine, Kimiko only took a moment to realize it was for Grand Master Dashi. She saw a single tear fall from his eye, he looked heartbroken…

Suddenly darkness swallowed them once more, but only a brief moment.

They remained in the shrine, but Chase looked slightly older…like what he looked now. He also was standing this time. Kimiko then noticed something in Chase's arms wrapped in a red fabric; it moved a little and uncovered the face of a few week old baby.

Chase smiled at the infant and another tear fell from his eye, but he was no longer broken, he looked like he had all he needed to be happy.

Kimiko stared a moment then turned to her dad, who was looking at her proudly. Chase had made the xiaolin a part of her life from the beginning.

Like with her father, she was connected to the xiaolin way.

The darkness came, but this time her dad was still beside her, Chase waved his hand and multiple memories flooded around them.

_**We are one, you and me**_

_**We surpass the earth and sea.**_

_**Your fire as bright as the sun...**_

_**All the wisdom to be...even greater soon then me...**_

_**You will find when you see...we are one...**_

Kimiko saw moments where her and Chase trained together,when Clay had practically moved a mountain with a new move Master Fung had shown him, or when Omi had accidentally blown out all the water pipes in the temple with one of his new moves, and when she had made a fire that had been so big it disintegrated anything that had been too close, the memory had been only a white and orange flash since the fire had been too bright to look at.

Kimiko smiled as all the images passed by, it was just so amazing when she stopped and thought about how normal kids could control such amazing gifts, one might even say they rival with nature itself...

But her face fell when she caught sight of the memory of Chase taking the soup from Hannibal. She felt Chase looking at her and turned to him. "Learn from my past actions, but also learn from the present. Be wiser then I was, and you will be a greater warrior then I ever was." Kimiko just stare at him a moment then nodded.

Chase snapped his fingers and he and Kimiko were at the front gate of the temple. Not a memory, the real temple. Kimiko walked forward a few steps and just stared at the entrance for a few moments blankly. Like she was trying to piece everything together…

Chase realized she was still confused on some level. He walked forward and stood beside her; Kim turned and looked up at him, "the xiaolin isn't just your side, or even your family. It's _who you are_." Chase wrapped one arm around Kimiko and held her close in a hug. "You'll understand someday." He smiled at her then walked back into the temple without another word.

Kimiko sat against the temple wall then sunk to the floor, '_were connected… it's who I am….what does it all mean…?' _Kimiko watched the horizon as the sun slowly vanished behind the mountains. It would be time for dinner soon. She should be heading inside. But her thoughts were swimming in her head. She didn't know if she'd _ever_ understand what her masters told her, her father included. She decided she'd put it out of her head for now and just looked ahead…

…at both the sunset, and her future.

* * *

><p><strong>Authour Note: so what do you guys think? did i work the music in well? please tell me. <strong>

**and if you like how the lyrics were writen, please thank_ Zoerz_, who was awsome enough to do the lyrics for this and the next chapter :) thanks again you really helped me out. **

**thank you to all you awsome people reading my story, and i'm glad to know im doing good so far :)**


	7. A Heylin Lullaby

Chapter 7

Meanwhile in heylin territory, a black figure flies across the sun and towards the land of nowhere. It zips over the forest and mountains and finally pulls to land at the base of the moutain/volcano that Kimiko had seen.

The figure is non-other than the self-proclaimed evil genius, _Jack Spicer_.

As his feet touched the ground he deactivated his heli-pack and looks up at the face that was carved into the volcano. The cruel features and dark rock would give the volcano the appearance of a man eating beast, waiting to swallow any who were too close…

Usually Jack would cower at the face and run to the layers entrance as fast as he could, but he was too busy mumbling to himself to really give it more than a glance.

"Always Rai, Rai, RAI! The guys not even evil…that hurricane was an accident…" he continued to mutter to himself as he stomped toward the door, where he heard a familiar voice growling in frustration as it apparently struggled with something. Jack looked up and saw a certain heylin thief in a black cat costume, trying to dig her claws into the wall to pry open the secret door, but to clearly no luck.

"Oh hey _Ashley, _where's the little punk, Raimundo? " Jack through up his arms in an overly dramatic and sarcastic praise, "_The chosen one._" She ignored him and continued her attempt to pry the door open.

Jack rolled his eyes and walked calmly to the wall a bit to the right of where the door was, Jack put his hand to the wall and pushed in a section of the rock.

There was a white light that traveled around the frame of the door before it went swinging open and sent the cat girl flying, skidding, and almost plummeting off the edge of the cliff if her claws hadn't dug into the edge.

Jack proceeded to point and laughs his trademark _'evil' _laugh at her.

After pulling herself up, the girl stomped her way back to the entrance and hissed at jack and bared her claws. Jack stopped laughing and let out a small yelp. "My heylin name is, _Katnappe_, Jack!" she retracted her claws and put her hands on her hips. "And how should _I_ know where Raimundo is. Didn't Wuya tell _you _to keep an eye on him?" Jack waved the question off and walked into the layer, as he did Jack suddenly twitched and started struggling to scratch his back. "Hey, its survival of the fittest out here, besides – Gah! - that jerk can handle himself!"

Katnappe leaned on a pillar and looked at Jack as he continued to scratch himself. "Wuya's not going to be happy." Jack turned to her in agitation and continued to scratch frantically. "Who cares? I should have been her apprentice! I'm older, I'm a genius, I'm evil – AHHH! Stupid Ants in the Pants!"

Jack went into a frenzy trying to scratch what were clearly thousands of ant bites. Katnappe raised an eyebrow and gave Jack a look that clearly called him an idiot. "You ditched Raimundo to try to steal sheng gong wu from the monks _again_ didn't you?" Jack marched toward her but the scratching made it more like stumbling…

"Well –Gah! - I could – nah! - Be the greatest heylin warrior ever- eak! - If Wuya just gave me- ahh! - a chance!" Jack was glaring right in her face, but Katnappe simply rolled her eyes and gave him an amused smirk. "Yeah right, why don't you tell that to Wuya?" Jack growled at her. "Oh yeah? You're on!" Katnappe glanced over Jack's shoulder towards the entrance. "Good. Here's your chance."

"What?" Jack somehow turned paler then usual and turned to see Wuya walk through the door with Raimundo in tow, and she did _not_ look happy. Jack let out a nervous laugh and walked towards her, but tried to keep a good distance at the same time, "Uh…he-hey Wuya! I um…I broke into the monks vault! But they…ah… saw me before I could grab more than a couple wu… I did get the monkey staff though!" he reached into his coat and pulled out said wu proudly.

Wuya didn't even glance at him as she walked with Raimundo into the main hall of the palace, Katnappe and Jack followed.

Wuya pushed Raimundo forward and turned to Jack. Katnappe walked around and stood by Raimundo. "Hey there Rai, wanna spare?" She smiled like she was flirting but her claws were smiling like death at him. Rai gave a nervous smile and never took his eye off the sharp paw. "Uh…no thanks, Katnappe…maybe later…" he backed away slightly.

Katnappe just shrugged and turned her attention to Jack and Wuya.

Wuya was glaring daggers at Jack who cowered back. "Jack…" her voice was a deadly calm. "Explain to me why you were at the temple vault… when I gave you very clear orders to keep your eyes on Raimundo!" Jack held up the monkey staff as if it were a shield and whimpered knowing he'd be fried any second.

Raimundo couldn't help but take pity on the display and stepped forward. "It's not his fault Wuya, honest. I went out on my own."

Wuya turned 90 degrees to face Raimundo, who jumped back at the look of fury on her face.

"And that brings us back to the other matter. What were you doing with that xiaolin girl?"

Wuya stepped forward as she spoke and Rai stumbled back as she did, "Nothing…we just…"

"Who has stolen everything from us and left us in the mud?"

"Chase…"

"Who killed Hannibal Bean?"

"Chase."

"Do you not remember what I've told you about _them_?"

Wuya was growling through her teeth, Raimundo had backed into a pillar and slid to the ground. He held up his hands in defense. "I'm sorry Wuya, really! I just ran into her that's all… she didn't really seem that bad I …I guess I thought maybe we could be… friends…"

Jack, no longer cowering, burst out laughing. "Ha! Friends? With a xiaolin! That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" Jack went on laughing, Raimundo and Katnappe glared at him, but Wuya seemed to be deep in thought. After a moment a large smile appeared on her face.

"It's brilliant!" Wuya pulled Raimundo to his feet and hugged him, much to everyone's surprise. "Raimundo my boy, I knew you wouldn't disappoint me!" Wuya released the very confused and slightly scared boy. "Uh…thanks, Wuya... What are we talking about?" Wuya draped an arm around his shoulder and began walking toward the throne room. "Why, your plan of course! It's pure evil genius, Hannibal would be proud."

Jack was overflowing with envy to say the least, "Hey wait! If anything it was _MY_ idea-!" he stopped his complaining when Wuya looked over her shoulder with a horrible glare then continued walking with Raimundo. Katnappe followed them, Jack muttered angrily under his breath before activating the monkey staff and running after her.

Wuya released Raimundo and walked to her throne at the top of a stairway, "Oh, this is simply delicious. We will finally regain our rightfully place of power and have our revenge on the xiaolin, all thanks to Chase's pretty little daughter..."

As Wuya spoke the room flooded with her jungle cats. Lions, tigers, panthers, and jaguars came from nowhere and stood at attention to their mistress. Raimundo never liked the cats, and frankly being surrounded by them wasn't a great feeling. "Uh… Wuya, I'm…uh… not sure I really want-"

"_HUSH!"_

Wuya's order echoed through the palace. Every cat in the room turned to Raimundo and growled in warning. He gulped seeing the closest one baring its teeth. Wuya took a breath then smiled at Raimundo, and the cats to back off.

Wuya waved her hand and, against his will, Rai was somehow pulled up the stairs and into Wuya's arms once again. _"Hush, now Raimundo. It has been a long day, you must rest…" _

Wuya released Raimundo but kept a hand on his shoulder. He was about to protest but she quickly cut him off.

"_**Sleep my young apprentice; allow your dreams to soar...One day, when you're grown and strong, you'll be a feared warrior..."**_

Wuya waved her hand again and two panthers walked up on either side of Raimundo and nudged him toward the door. He allowed the cats to lead the way to his room for fear of the teeth. "Okay, uh…night Wuya." Wuya stood and smiled darkly as her plans unfolded in her head. "Goodnight my boy. Tomorrow we resume your training…" With that Raimundo vanished into the halls and left Wuya to pace the room in thought. Katnappe and Jack came into the room as the door closed. "I know that look, so what's the plan boss lady?" Wuya glanced at Katnappe but continued to think.

_**I've been exiled, persecuted...left alone with no defense.  
>When I think of what Chase Young did, I get a little...tense...<strong>_

Wuya went into deep thought. Remembering the day she had been banished to the land of nowhere, the day Chase Young had slayed Hannibal Bean. That horrible day… Wuya clenched her fist at the memories and glowed with dark green energy._**  
><strong>___

_**But I dream a dream so pretty, that I don't feel so depressed.  
>Cause it soothes my inner kitty, and it helps me get some rest.<strong>_

Wuya notice her anger, and how Jack and Katnappe were backing away from her and tried to calm herself. "We're going to finally get our revenge. The Heylin will finally be back on top. And our dream will be realized…." Wuya sighed happily at the thought of her dream; she walked back up the stairs and petted a few cats as she passed, then collapsed into her thrown as her soothing thoughts ran through her head.

_**The sound of Chase's dying gasp...  
>His daughter squealing in my grasp...<br>The Xiaolin Dragon's mournful cries...  
>That's my lullaby...<strong>_

Wuya could just see it, the temple in ruins, and the fields ablaze. Her mortal enemy lifeless in the fire, his daughter weeping at the devastation and death as the xiaolin monks begged at her feet for mercy. It was music to her. And she was determined to make her dream a reality. "All we need is time, and the right execution, and it will all be ours." Jack and Katnappe were smiling widely at this. Wuya stayed in her seat and lounged back as she continued her thoughts. _**  
><strong>_  
><em><strong>Now in the past I've tried forgetting... And my foes, I could forgive...<br>Trouble is I know it's petty... But I hate to let them live...**_

Wuya would never admit it, but at one point, maybe a few times, she had thought of being happy with what land she did have. About forgetting the xiaolin-heylin wars, the sheng gong wu, all of it. Just moving on and stop dwelling on the past…but then her mind would go back to fact that Chase Young was still breathing, and she would drop any idea of forgetting. Wuya was brought out of her thoughts when she saw Jack hanging from the chandelier by his tail, a few inches frin front of her. _**  
><strong>_

"_**So will find ourselves somebody, who'll run Chase Young up a tree…"**_

Wuya rolled her eyes at Jack's suggestion.

_**"Oh, the battle may be bloody, but that kind of works for me."**_

Wuya smirked as she spoke and grabbed the monkey staff in Jack's hands then tossed him down the stairs with little effort. Jack managed to keep a hand on the staff as he landed with a girlish scream and a muffled moan.

_**The melody of angry growls...a counterpoint of painful howls... a symphony of death, oh my...that's my lullaby...  
><strong>_

Wuya chuckled at the boy's pain and began walking down the stairway; the wild cats growled under their breaths and bowed their heads to the witch. Jack let out a sudden yelp when Wuya stepped on his tail as she passed, but she didn't even glance back, she was lost in the beautiful thought of the xiaolins end. She continued walking out of the room and into a large chamber, she waved her hand over the floor in the center of the room and a crystal ball that resembled an eyeball sprouted out of the ground, in it was a foggy image of Raimundo sleeping.

"_**Bean is gone...but Wuya's still around to raise this gifted lad."**_

Jack dropped the monkey staff in hopes of stopping the pain in his tail, and he and Katnappe followed Wuya again. They watched her from the door as she summoned the All Seeing Eye. Wuya was smiling at the image warmly. Almost…_motherly_…it honestly was scaring the two teenagers… then the Wuya they knew reappeared._**  
><strong>_

"_**Til he learns to be a killer...with a lust for being bad..."**_

Wuya could see it in the eye as clearly as her thoughts. Raimundo toppling armies, leveling cities, and destroying anyone who got in her way, it was enough to make her laugh in glee. She smiled once more at the eye "our wait is coming to an end, and it will all be thanks to him…" Wuya then turned and walked to one of the many windows in the room. Jack and Katnappe walked up to the All Seeing Eye and looked at the young boy sleeping with a teddy bear under his arm.

"_**Sleep ya little termite! Uh, I mean...the heylin's mighty score!"**_

Katnappe was glaring at him for the termite comment and shoved him away before returning to the eye._**  
><strong>_

"_**One day when you're big and strong..."**_

Katnappe smiled and ran her claw across the image of Raimundo. Jack reached for his watch to call his robots to smash her…or at least _try _to… but both stopped dead and turned to the sound of Wuya's voice.

"_**He will be our warrior!"  
><strong>_

As she spoke the setting sun caught the glass window and sent a cascade of colors dancing around the room. The only thing that wasn't bathed in the rainbow was the eye. A few cats entered the room and stared at the boy in the eye that was apparently so important.

"_**The pounding of the drums of war...the thrill of Raimundo's mighty roar!"  
><strong>_

Wuya's smile continued to grow as she thought of the devastation her apprentice would bring. Jack and Katnappe were quickly swept up in the excitement as well.

"_**The joy of Vengeance!"  
>"Testify!"<strong>_

Jack pumped his fist in the air like he was cheering at a concert; Katnappe shoved him to the ground and did the same. Jack scowled then crossed his arms and stuck his tongue out at her.  
><em><strong><br>"I can hear the Cheering…"**_

Wuya was walking out of the room again, but turned to the two and put a hand to her ear. _**  
><strong>_  
><em><strong>"Raimundo! What a guy!"<strong>_

Katnappe maintained an excited attitude while Jack was ticked off and drowned his words in sarcasm as he copied her. The cats growled at him and he quickly stumble to his feet with a shriek and ran out of the room after the girls._**  
><strong>_

"_**Payback time is nearing...**_"

Wuya walked to the front door and waved it open; she walked to the ledge and smiled at the temple in the distance. She could see it all…

Katnappe and Jack were on either side of Wuya; they followed her gaze and smiled wickedly.

_**And the Heylin flag will fly... Against the blood red sky...  
>That's my lullaby...!<strong>_

The three heylin looked out on the world. They could imagine it under their control. The 1500 years of darkness come to pass, all in the palms of their hands. It was like a symphony of evil being played before them. They stayed at the edge of cliff and watched as the sun set, swallowing the temple, and the entire land, into a thick, inescapable darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: Hey,im back :) <strong>

**sorry it took awhile, im back in school and i've had alot of stuff going on, but i also was working on the song editing for a few days. **

**I love this part of the movie so i hope i did it justice.**

**thanks again to _Zoerz_ for helping me with the lyrics. and thank you all for your patience and kind reviews. **


	8. Dashi's Plan

Chapter 8

It was a cool night, completely clear with a light breeze and a feeling of calm all around, a great night to just lie out.

Dojo sat on the railing in front of one of the buildings and looked over at where the three xiaolin dragons were enjoying the night by the training yard. He smiled at them as the two boys turned in for the night and left Kim to watch the stars alone. Dojo turned to the sky and did the same.

"Man, Dashi, you really nailed it with these kids. I mean sure they goof off, and they still can lose here and there, but we all know they're gonna make us proud. Even Chase knows Kim's got what it takes, he may not always show it, but he knows..."

Dojo looked over at Kimiko as she went off to her room. He remembered how he had gone to get her for dinner and found her at the front wall; She had asked him if he could explain something Chase had told her, but it sounded like any other saying to him.

Honestly Dojo believed all the masters just made that stuff up as they went…

But what Dojo did understand of Chases' riddle, which he told Kim, was that he only did what he had to keep her safe…

With that thought Dojo's mind traveled back to the events in the woods earlier that day.

"It's too bad about that kid, what was his name…? Raimundo, yeah that's it…" Dojo looked at the sky as if he were talking to a taller figure.

"I mean you chose him as a wind dragon for a reason. One would figure it was so he could help us instead of so he could crush us for the other team...If only we had found him first...real shame, he and Kim would have made a really cute couple…"

Dojo sighed and closed his eyes while leaning back on a support beam. "Oh well, guess we just think of a way to beat him, there's nothing else we can do about him now…"

The wind seemed to pick up slightly and moved by Dojo as if trying to get his attention. He noticed and gave a confused look. "What? Sorry I didn't quite catch that…" Dojo cleaned out his ear and put it to the wind as it came by again, a little stronger.

"Oh…I get it…End the feud between the xiaolin and the heylin by getting Kimiko and Raimundo together, okay, I just have one comment… _ARE YOU CRAZY?_ That'll never work!" Dojo screamed and waved his arms frantically at the sky then jumped down onto the grass to head inside. "Geeze, Dashi, I know how much you liked a good joke but I was being serious..."

Suddenly the wind snaps at him, gaining speed fast, until the small dragon is fighting to stay grounded in a small tornado. Dojo covered his eyes and did his best to moved against the wind. "Alright...Alright… ALRIGHT!" The tornado vanished and the wind slowed to a small breeze once again Dojo fell flat on his face but quickly pulled himself up.

"I'll go tell Fung about your plan, but I still think it's gonna bomb…" Dojo slithered off toward the door but stopped and looked back at the sky again. "I sure hope you know what you're doing..." The breeze went past him one more time in reassurance before circling into the sky and towards the stars.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors note: Hey, really quick chapter, so i worked on it quickly. hope you all like it :) <strong>


	9. Set in Motion

Chapter 9

2 years later…

Wuya was sitting on her thrown in her palace, Jack and Katnappe stood silently in the back, and dozens of jungle cats surrounded the room. Wuya stared down at the boy before her in approval. "You _are_ ready..." She chuckled to herself as she stood to better examine her apprentice.

Raimundo was standing at the foot of the stairs in shoku warrior robes. His face was stern and determined, his eyes were cold and hard, his stance was strong and still, he had clearly been trained to the fullest in the last few years.

Wuya's smile only grew as she stopped in front of him. "You have the essence of a true heylin warrior my boy… Now tell me, what is your mission?"

Raimundo responded without hesitation. "To take back our lands… and bring the temple and the xiaolin dragons to their knees…"

"Yes! What have you learned?"

"Chase is the only true threat…"

"And will you destroy him, without hesitation?"

Raimundo looked straight at Wuya and showed his first sign of emotion with a dark smirk.

"Thought you'd never ask…"

The jungle cats roared in applause, they could see it in the Cheshire cat smile on their mistress face. Their victory was at hand…

* * *

><p>It's a bright afternoon at the xiaolin temple.<p>

Chase stood at the temple gate with Clay and Omi opposite him. He took a deep breath to try to calm his nerves with little effect.

Master Fung stood by the door to the main hall with Dojo on his shoulders. Suddenly all eyes turn to the hall as the newest wudai warrior stepped out and turned to Master Fung. He smiled warmly at her and handed her the scroll of the sheng gong wu and the star hannabi with a bow of his head.

"Kimiko, we wish you a safe journey on your mission." She smiled back, "Thank you, Master Fung." Kimiko took the items and returned the bow before turning to walk to the gate.

Dojo pulled out a small tissue and blew his nose. "…they grow up so fast..!"

Kimiko walked up to the boys and smiled at them. Omi bowed to her and Clay tipped his hat. "We send you the best of karma, Kimiko." She raised an eyebrow, but nodded to him. "He means best of luck. You're gonna do just fine Kim." She smiled at them both and hugged them.

Chase was standing quietly to the side, lost in thought and worry, until he heard Kimiko's voice and he turned to look at her. "Dad…you swear you're going to let me do this by myself…promise..?" Chase saw the pleading in her eyes and glanced over at Master Fung, who simply nodded.

He returned to her and smiled. "Okay…I promise…" Kimiko ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his torso, Chase was startled but quickly recovered and returned the hug. Kimiko let go and took a step back to bow to him. "I'll make you proud, Master Chase." Chase smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know you will young one."

Dojo appeared on Kimiko's shoulder and sniffled. "Okay…come on. Let's get going before I get emotional." He blew his nose again then jumped through the gate and grew to his full size. Kimiko turned to Chase one more time before jumping onto Dojo's back and taking off toward the mountains.

Chase watched them a second before looking back at Master Fung, who nodded to him once more before walking off toward the meditation hall/vault.

As soon as he was sure that the master was out of earshot Chase took out the golden tiger claws and handed them to Omi and Clay. "Just be there to make sure she doesn't get hurt…"

The boys bowed to their master and looked around cautiously before slippeing through the gate and hidding behind the temple wall. Omi activated the claws and the two fallowed Kimiko and Dojo to the moutains.

* * *

><p>In the skies,<p>

"So Kim, you nervous?"

Kimiko gave an 'are you serious?' look. "Try psyched! I mean, I've been a wudai warrior for what…two months already! And I still had to _beg _my dad to let me go wu hunting by myself."

It was a xiaolin tradition that once the dragons reach wudai status that each one be allowed to test their new found skill by going on a mission alone.

Omi and Clay had each gone to retrieve a sheng gong wu before Kimiko already, and she was determined to prove herself by doing the same.

Dojo shrugged and continued flying toward the mountains. "So what's the wu?" Kimiko took out the scroll of the shen gong wu and opened it to the glowing animation.

"It's called the '_Tigers Pride_.' It looks like it allows you to command big cats…" the animation on the scroll showed a flat object similar to the mantis flip coin but with the carving of a roaring tiger head with dimond eyes on the front, the figure held up the wu to an angry looking lion and it calmly walked over to him like an obediant pet.

"Oh! That's a good one. You sure you don't want me to stick around…?"

"I would have just taken the tiger claws like the boys did, but my dad felt better about you taking me... I want to prove I can do this like the others, on my own, you know…" Dojo looked over his shoulder and nodded to her. "I get it, were almost there so I'll drop you off and come back to get you in an hour."

"Make it a half hour. Jack's probably the only other person who will try to get the wu, so this won't take long." They both laughed and Dojo began to descend toward a cliff side.

* * *

><p>Earlier, back at the temple...<p>

With everyone at the gate to see Kimiko off, Jack and Katnappe were able to sneak over the wall and into the vault with ease. Katnappe tapped the wind chimes in the simple melody and the floor in the center of the room dropped into a spiral staircase.

Jack stared into the dark vault with a shiver. "Man, this thing always gives me the creeps…" Katnappe shoved past him and walked down the stairs. "You're such a whiner Jack."

"I am not a whiner!" Jacks voice echoes down the stairs. He quickly covered his mouth and looked around to be sure no one had heard him before running after Katnappe.

Katnappe started looking at the drawers for the wu they had been instructed to steal. Jack did the same while muttering to himself in annoyance. "I just don't get why we have to risk our necks. If Raimundo's so _special_ why does Wuya need us?" Jack opened the drawer containing the falcons eye. "I never even got the slightest bit of respect!" as Jack grabbed the wu a spider crawled on his hand. He immediately screamed, jumped back, and went tumbling down the stairs with multiple thuds.

Katnappe rolled her eyes at him and continued looking at the shelves a moment before finally finding what they needed.

The Shard of Lightning

"Ha!" As she grabed the wu she heard footsteps heading toward the vault. She quickly ran down the stairs and pulled Jack to his feet. "Jack, come on! Kimiko's probably left, we have to move _now_!" Katnappe grabed Jack's wrist and activated the wu. "Shard of Lightning!"

Suddenly everything but the two heylin teens froze in a red aura.

Jack grabed the falcons eye off the ground and the two run up the stairs, passed a frozen Master Fung at vault entrance, and over the wall just as time starts back up.

Katnappe heared a strange tearing sound and looked around the corner in time to see Omi and Clay jump through the rip in space caused by the golden tiger claws and vanish.

Jack followed her gaze and notices the swaying green dragon in the distance. "There they are, lets go." He draged her towards the waiting jet and turned on the cloaking shield before taking off after the dragons.

Jack smiled wickedly at the fact that they were so far getting away with things and pumps a fist into the air while laughed evilly. "Next stop world domination baby!"

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> **Hey everyone :) **

**i made a fan wu ! XD yeah!**

**as you can see theres alot of stuff going on, so rather then seperate chapters i just put them together. **

**the action/romance/ suspence will be picking up from here, so be ready :D**

**Thanks for reading!**


	10. The Fire

Chapter 10

The tiger claws dropped Clay and Omi near the base of the mountains in time to see Dojo take off back to the temple in the far distance.

Clay guessed that the wu had been hidden near the top of the mountain so he and Omi started climbing. Omi, thanks to his small size, was able to climb much faster and was far ahead of Clay. After a few minutes of looking around they had yet to see any trace of their female dragon.

"Hey, you catch any wind of Kimiko yet little buddy?" Clay called up to Omi, who looked down at him in confusion. "Why would wind come from Kimiko? That is not her element. And how would I know if it had?" Clay face palmed at the comment. "Sometimes I wonder why I bother…"

Clay went back to climbing over a larger rock but quickly ducked back when he finally spotting Kimiko searching for the wu along a narrow cliff side path, near a group of grazing mountain goats. "Bingo… Come on, Omi." He grabbed the little monk by the collar and pulled him through a new portal.

When the two came out they were still farther down then Kimiko but much closer. Clay motioned for Omi to fallow as he hid behind another rock.

As Kimiko searched she watched her feet to be sure she didn't trip on anything, she stumbled once but caught herself. Though not before Clay motioned to catch her and sent a few rocks tumbling to the heard of goats below.

The animals were startled by the rocks and immediately begian running up the side of the mountain, in the direction of Clay and Omi's hiding spot. The boys let out a startled yelp and jumped out of the way and into the grass before the goats trampled them.

"Whoo-we! That was a close calls there ay buddy." Clay sat up and wiped his forehead in relief. he then turned to Omi who was looking up at something in fear. "Uh clay, we are, how you say…broken."

"That's '_busted_' Omi." Clay turned and saw Kimiko standing in front of them, arms crossed and clearly angry. "What are you guys doing here?"

Clay rubbed the back of his head nervously as he tried to think of an excuse, but unfortunately Omi decided to pipe up,

"It has nothing to do with Chase Young's orders to keep an ear on you!"

"Eye." Clay corrected on instinct.

"Eye on you!" Clay slammed his hand over Omi's mouth before he could dig their graves any deeper, but Kimiko was already going into a flaming rage… literally! "I can't believe this. He said he trusted me to do this on my own and he lied!"

Clay stood and tried to calm her down. "It's not like that Kim. Chase is just protective you know that..." he reached out a hand to reassure her but she slapped it away. "What I should have known is that he'd never trust that I could do something by myself..."

Kimiko jumped over the boys and back onto the path she had been. She yelled back at them as she started running up the path and vanished around the corner. "I'll show him! I'll show you guys I can do just fine without your help!"

"Kimiko come back!" Clay and Omi began climbing the mountain again but she was long gone by the time they reached the path.

"We must find our friend Kimiko before she is hurt!"

"I'm more worried that if we find her _we're_ the ones gonna be hurt..."

* * *

><p>Kimiko had finally stopped running and resumed her search for the wu. Unaware of the Falcons Eye locked on her.<p>

Katnappe smiled when she finally found their target and nodded to Jack. He took out the shard of lightning and the two froze time. They quickly ran to where Kimiko was frozen, Jack saw the Star Hannabi at her side and tossed it to Katnappe. "This will make things easier…" Katnappe took the star and the two ran to hide in the tall grass behind a close hill.

Time started back up and Kimiko began scanning the ground when she saw a bronze object glowing under a rock near the hillside. She smiled widely and shot a fist into the air. "YES! Take that guys! I can _so_ do this on my own!"

Katnappe smiled at their cue and motioned over the hill. "Do your thing, Jack." He nodded, activated his heli-pack, and flew over the hill.

Kimiko hears the noise of the small propellers and took on a fighting stance as Jack landed between her and the wu. "Out of the way Spicer, I've had a long day and I'm walking away with that wu." Jack smiled at her, "what's the matter Kimiko? Can't fight me yourself?" She dropped her stance and rolled her eyes at him. "Dojo could fight you without growing and inch. Now step aside before I fry you."

"Go ahead and try, I dare you." He sounded completely confident that he was calling her bluff. That both took Kim by surprise then ticked her off. "I'm warning you Spicer!" She lit her hand and balled it into a fist, then stepped forward threateningly for good measure. But Jack didn't show any sign of cowering.

A moment of silence fallowed before Jack yawned and looked at his hand boredly. "What's the matter? Don't have the guts to follow on your threat? Guess you're more like Chase then I thought…"

_That was it._

Kimiko went into a blind furry. Throwing as much fire as she could at the red headed Goth. Jack yelped and flew just a few feet overhead. Kimiko continued to shoot at him and he had to weave through the air to avoid getting burned. When he finally saw Katnappe he shot her a glare that sent a very clear message.

_Hurry it up before I become a crispy boy genius!_

Katnappe nodded to him and turned to the large field of grass. "Star Hannabie." She set fire to everything around her, though the fire Kim sent raining down was helping.

As soon as the blaze started moving toward her Katnappe activated the shard of lightning and ran back to where the jet was waiting.

Kimiko suddenly stopped and stared at the hill in terror.

Jack turned to see the fast growing inferno quickly spreading through the fields and into the paths; it would only a matter of time before the entire mountain was incased in the blaze.

Jack smiled and turned to Kimiko, "Smooth move xiaolin loser. Keep the wu I'm out!" he flew into the sky as the black smoke covered him.

Kimiko stood frozen a moment, staring at the gaining flames. _Am I fire proof? _

It seemed possible, but Kim decided now was not a great time to find out. Without a second thought she grabbed the Tigers Pride and ran.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: <strong>**i will admit its not my best chapeter...**

**i am going to update as soon as i can. **

**thanks and enjoy :)**


	11. Saved

Chapter 11

Wuya stood at the edge of her layer with Raimundo. The two watched the black smoke of the fire rise over the mountain and darken the sky Wuya was smiling in utter joy, but Rai seemed...worried. _Did they really have to burn down the whole mountain?_ Suddenly a jet flew through the smoke and toward the layer. It pulled up beside them and opened to reveal Jack and Katnappe smiling evilly. "Things are heating up nicely down there." Katnappe purred.

Wuya nodded at them in approval, "If there's anything I can count on Jack to be, it's a distraction."

"Hey-!" Wuya cut Jack off and turned to Raimundo. "You know what to do?" Raimundo nodded to her. "Good…Go!" a large gust of wind hit the mountain and Raimundo went flying toward the smoke covered mountains.

* * *

><p>Chase was pacing around the courtyard anxiously when Dojo landed back at the temple. "Okay, I just dropped Kimiko off in the mountains. Man Chase, you need to relax. Kim will be fine, I mean what could happen?"<p>

Chase turned to glare at Dojo for saying something so stupid, but his eyes caught something over the wall.

A huge black puff of smoke, coming from the mountain…. "No…_No_! Kimiko!"

Chase shoved passed the small dragon and ran through the front gate. Dojo looked over his shoulder and screamed before growing and flying after Chase. "Dojo! Fly ahead and try to find her, if you can't then find Clay and Omi." Chase morphed into his dragon form and was running at amazing speed, Dojo nodded, not even bothering to ask why the others would be there, and flew as fast as he could into the smoke. "Man, Kim what have you gotten yourself into now..?"

* * *

><p>Kimiko was running as fast as she could, but the fire was faster. Soon the path was swallowed away and she had to run into the fields and hope she could find higher ground.<p>

The sky no longer seemed blue, but a flaming red, and was almost blocked out by the smoke.

The air was getting thick and hot, Kim could feel that it was getting harder to breath, and the fire was still coming in almost every directions.

A breeze zipped past her, and seemed to push her in a different direction, one not yet eaten by fire. Kimiko didn't think hard about it and ran in the direction. She coughed as the air grew hotter and continued running till she saw just what could save her: _a cliff._

It had not caught fire from what Kim could see, and it looked just high enough that the air may be easier to breath. Kimiko started running to the edge as fast as she could, the fire swallowing the fields behind her.

As she got closer though, she realized just how high the cliff was. She coughed repeatedly as the flames around her sucked up more and more of the oxygen and replaced it with the poisonous carbon dioxide. She struggled to keep herself from blacking out.

Suddenly an idea hit her. She summoned all her strength and coughed out. "Judolette-flip..! Fire..!" the wild fire jumped back about 6 feet, Kim backed up and jumped into the air. She went flying toward the cliff and barely managed to grab the ledge.

She looked down as the fire swallowed the last of the field and left nothing but a raging sea of an inferno to fall on. Kim almost panicked. She could feel her strength was almost gone. She gripped onto the ledge for dear life and struggled to pull herself up, but she couldn't. Kimiko could feel her grip coming loose and knew she would slip any second.

_Even if I could survive the fire, I'd never survive the fall… _

Kim felt a tear well in her eye but the intense heat snatches it away. Finally she felts the ledge slip from her hand and the sudden pull of gravity toward the ground.

Her eyes snapped shut in fear, her scream was taken by her lack of air. A second that felts like an eternity passed before Kimiko felts a strangely cool breeze brush by her cheek and wrap around her wrist.

Her eyes remained shut. Not of fear but of exhaustion. The breeze seemed to wrap around her like someone's arms, like her father or her friends trying to comfort her, and it almost felt like she was being lifted.

Kim couldn't help but think this was death. Until she felt the breeze place her down gently on something cool and soft.

Kim cracked her eye open with much effort and saw she was lying on her side in a patch of grass. She then felt something warm touch her shoulder and shake her slightly. Kim turned her head slightly and looked up. All she could remember before darkness swallowed her was a pair of green eyes…

* * *

><p><strong>Authors note: Hey everyone :) <strong>

**hope you all like it, and ****the next chapter is going to be BIG. **

**but your all just going to have to wait. HAHA! XD**

**thanks for reading :)**


	12. In Debt

Chapter 12

Raimundo kneeled down next to the girl he had saved and brushed a lock of hair from her face. He could somewhat remembered the day he'd met her, though a lot can change in two years. In her case, he thought she looked way more beautiful than when he had first seen her...he shook his thoughts away and focused.

He looked at the surroundings, the fire was climbing quickly, he had to move now. Raimundo picked the unconscious girl up in his arms and walked to the edge of the cliff. "_Wind_!" the air picked up. Swallowing the flames up as it cleared a path. He jumped over the cliff, the wind placing him on the ground gently, and started running.

Raimundo ran into multiple walls of fire as it tried to trap them in. He summoned his element and continued moving through the flaming maze, trying to find an exit. The pattern repeated:

_Fire. Wind. Run. Fire. Wind. Run._

Finally he decided if he couldn't find a path. He would _make_ one. He used the wind once again to clear a straight path that took him to the ledge of the mountain. He looked over and took in a breath. A lake lay at the bottom of the ledge not a few feet down.

He held Kim tight as he jumped off the cliff and into the lake, he tried to cushion the landing with the wind, but in the process he lost his grip on Kimiko and the two fell.

As soon as he hit the water Raimundo swam to the surface. He caught sight of Kimiko just as she sank under the water, still out cold.

He dived after her, wrapping one arm around her waist and using the other arm to swim to the surface and then toward the shore.

* * *

><p>As Raimundo struggled in the lake, a large green dragon spotted him from the air. He gasped at what was clearly someone dragging an unconscious Kimiko. "<em>Great ghost of Dashi<em>! Guys!" Dojo turned abruptly to go find Chase and the other dragons.

* * *

><p>When Raimundo finally reached shore he sat Kimiko against a rock and kneeled down to catch his breathe. After a moment he heard coughing and turned to Kim. She sat back and rubbed her head a moment before trying to speak. "...What happened?... Where am I?" her eyes suddenly went wide and focused on Raimundo.<p>

He smirked at her and stood. "Don't worry. You're safe and sound in xiaolin territory." He was sure that she would be very grateful and impressed with him, so her moment of silence wasn't a surprise. Her response however was.

"You…you JERK! _Who do you think you are?"_ she jumped to her feet and yelled right in his face, after a moment of surprise Raimundo glared down at her.

"I don't know who _you_ think I am princess, but _I_ think I'm the guy that just saved you skin!"

Kimiko backed up a little and tried to calm herself. "Look... I had things under control…" Raimundo smirked again and rolled his eyes. "Control huh? Not how I'd put it." Kimiko went red and clenched her fist. "Well no one asked you!"

Kimiko started to stomp away from him, but before she could blink he was in front of her. She jumped back slightly and tried to go in another direction, again he was in her way and smiling like it was a game he was winning. Kimiko had backed up into the rock; She decided to try to scare the guy off. So she held up her hand and tried to light it on fire but, unfortunatly, the swim in the lake had snuffed her out. She tried a few times and still her hands wouldn't light. she was sure she would at least burst into flames from anger...

"What are you doing?"

Kimiko stops abruptly at the question. It sounded so familiar. She looked at the guy who had saved her; He was standing in front of her with an eyebrow raised and his head tilted to the side slightly. She remembered that look! _Could it be..?_

"...Raimundo?" she asked cautiously if not optomistic. He smiled at her._ It is!_ Kim smiled back brightly and was about to speak when she heard another voice call her name.

The two teenagers turned as a large green and black dragon jumped between them and roared at Raimundo.

Chase morph back to his human form and glare and Raimundo in anger. Omi and Clay ran up to Kimiko and Omi hugged her in relief. "Kimiko, you are unharmed!" She nodded to the small boy and patted his head. Then turned to Chase.

"Dad, how could you have sent them? How could you not trust me?" Chase's eyes remained on Raimundo, who was glaring back at him. "It's good that I didn't. You could have been killed..." He turned to her with complete authority in his tone. "You are never to go out on your own again do you understand?"

She stepped forward and immediately started yelling her defense. "But that's not fair! I got the wu and I had everything under control even before Raimundo-" Chase snapped his attention back to the boy. "Raimundo?" Chase growled and both took a fighting stance.

Kimiko gasped and stepped back, Omi cowered behind her. Neither wanted to see a fight. Clay stepped in front of them protectively. "Ahh, Chase…" He glanced over his shoulder at the dragons, obviously scared, and lowered his stance slightly.

"Hey buddy!" All eyes fell on the little green dragon that appeared on Chase's shoulder. Dojo was pointing at Raimundo accusingly. "Who do you think you are? Think your some kinda hero just cuz you saved Kimiko's life?"

The boys were in shock. Their eyes darting from Dojo to Raimundo and then Kimiko, who nodded in confirmation. Chase was stunned, but quickly thought there had to be a motive for this. He turned to Raimundo with an accusing look. "You saved her? Why?"

Raimundo smirked and shrugged his shoulders like his motive was no big deal. "I want to join the temple…"

"_NO_!" Everyone, especially Dojo, jumped back at Chase's sudden and loud response. He approached the younger boy with a piercing glare. "You were banished with all other heylin."

Raimundo took a step back but he didn't show any fear of the older warrior. He took a casual stance and crossed his arms before speaking.

"Here's the thing though dude... I quit Wuya's gang. I'm a free agent, which by the way is very boring... So, I decided to give the xiaolin thing a try. It can keep me from being useless, and I also figured the best place to go is the only place Wuya can't..."

He saw Chase was still obviously set more on fighting him then believing him. So he continued. "You can't just judge me like that… You're basically turning me down because of where I came from, and not to mention showing a complete lack of appreciation for me saving your fire dragon by the way..."

Chase growled at Raimundo, boarding transforming into a dragon again but instead turned to leave, he motioned for the others to fallow. But everyone stayed where they were.

Clay was the first to speak. "You know Chase he has a point... I mean if it wasn't for him, Kim might not be here right now…" he gestured to the girl behind him who was glaring daggers at the comment. "True…" Chase looked at his feet where Dojo stood reading from a book. "…And according to the code of the xiaolin this puts us, mainly Chase, in Raimundo's debt…" he closed the book and looked up at Chase. "So the least we could do is give him a room for a few nights."

Chase looked over at Kimiko then to Raimundo, who stood quietly waiting for a response. Chase finally sighed and turned to the 'former' heylin. "I'm bound by my honor to show appreciation for your actions today, you may return with us to the temple..." Chase walked back toward Raimundo and glared down at him suspiciously. "This does not, however, mean that I trust you. You have your chance, but one wrong move and you will regret it." Raimundo smiled, "Sounds great, I'm in." he extended his hand to Chase, who simply glanced at it before turning to leave once again.

Raimundo shrugged and looked over at the dragons. Who were all staring at him, but only Kimiko had a smile on her face. He smiled back to her and winked, making her blush instantly. Omi raised an eyebrow at Kimiko's sudden redness, and Clay shot Raimundo a look before steering the two younger dragons to follow Chase.

Dojo was about to fallow but noticed Raimundo suddenly staring into space blankly. "Hey, you coming or what?" he snapped out of his thoughts and stared at the small dragon. Then smiled and gestured forward. "Lead the way."

Dojo stared at him a moment then shrugged and turned to fallow the others. Raimundo fallowed at a distance, and when Dojo grew to fly them back to the temple he sat in the back. He couldn't hide the look of triumph on his face.

_This is going to be too easy._

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: And it just got real...<strong>

**what will happen next? im just as excited as you guys! XD**

**stay tunned for the next chapter**


	13. It's A Date

Chapter 13

The sun set shortly after everyone reached the temple. The events of the day were explained and Raimundo was presented to Master Fung and accepted as a new apprentice.

Kimiko believed she had been the one to set the mountain on fire and had told so to the elder monks.

Her punishment: scrub all the floors in the temple.

She tossed the Tigers Pride into her room for the moment and went off to her task.

Clay and Omi had been pulled aside by Chase and told to keep Raimundo away from the vault, so they spent a good hour or so showing him the courtyard and training yard. Though mostly Clay just kept dragging him farther away from wherever Kimiko was working. He hadn't liked the way Rai looked at the girl Clay considered a little sister.

Soon enough Master Fung deemed it late and he and the other monks retired. Omi and Clay soon fallowed... with Raimundo behind. But before he could step foot in the building Chase appeared in the doorway, blocking any way in.

"These quarters are for the dragons only. Your room is over there." Chase pointed behind Raimundo to the long abandoned guest quarters and shoved a blanket and pillow into his hands.

Raimundo looked up at Chase coldly, but he didn't pay the boy any mind as he turned into the building to go to sleep. Raimundo continue to glare at the master a moment before turning to march off to his room.

Kimiko exited the diner hall rubbing her sore arm and ready to collapse in her room, when she saw Raimundo storm across the yard, drop a bundle he was carrying on the ground, and jump into a tree near the guest rooms. Curious, she walked up to the tree and saw he was lounging back on one of the higher branches and looking up at the stars.

She cleared her throat and Raimundo quickly looked down at her in surprise. Kimiko blushed at the way his eyes seemed to be shining, and she quickly looked away and tried to think of something to say. "Hey…um…I just wanted to say…thank you…for saving me…" she smiled up at him as she finished.

Raimundo raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, about that…" He swung his feet over the side of the tree branch and looked straight down at her. "…What were you thinking? Seriously, if it wasn't for me you'd be smoked dragon right now."

Kimiko's eyes went wide and then glared at the wind boy. "_Excuse_ me! What is _that_ suppose to mean?"

He shrugged and swung back so he hung upside down by his legs. Putting his face a few inches from Kimiko's which was now bright red.

"You couldn't survive one day without your team to bail you out, plain and simple." Kim shook away her embarrassment and took a step back while crossing her arms. "Oh, and I suppose _you_ could train?"

Rai smirked at her. "Well, yeah." He unhooked his legs and dropped to the ground gracefully before grabbing his things and continuing toward the building.

"Kimiko..?"

Kim turned at hearing her dad's voice, but he was apparently still in the other building. "Coming!" She called back. She then did a few flips that landed her right in Raimundo's path.

The boy went wide eyed a second and Kim smiled slyly at him. "Alright, Mr. Cool guy, Impress me. Meet me in the temple garden tomorrow and show me what you can do." Rai smiled at her and put a hand to his side. "Consider it a date." Kim turned away from him and walked calmly off to her room. Trying to hide her excitment for the next day to arrive.

She didn't see that Rai was watching her walk off with the same crooked smirk he had had the whole trip to the temple. "I'm definatly looking forward to it…" he whispered to himself before coolly walking the rest of the way to his quarters.

* * *

><p>At Wuya's palace,<p>

Wuya and Jack Spicer were watching these events in the All Seeing Eye as they happened. As soon as the two teens vanished into the buildings the image vanished and Jack started flipping out. "Did you _see_ that? _Why_ did he let her go_?_ If that was _me_ I would have-"

Wuya slammed a hand over the boy's mouth. "Quiet Jack, The rescue went exactly as planned." The witch stood and paced the room while explaining the rest of the plan. "Now, Raimundo simply needs to gain Chase's trust, which is easily gained through Kimiko."

Jack scratched his head with a stupid look on his face like he was trying to put everything together.

Wuya looked at her fist as it glowed a bright green. "And as soon as he has Chase _alone_...!"

Jack screamed and had to jump out of the way as Wuya shot a blast of energy at the wall behind him.

Leaving a very large whole where he had been standing.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: H<strong>**ey **

**sorry, I**** wanted to upload this sooner but I kept having stuff to do. **

**anyway, enjoy :)**


	14. The Nightmare

Chapter 14

Chase stood on a hillside, looking down at the scene before him in utter horror.

A village he had known for so many years was now in ruins, smoke and flames reaching to the sky. The screams of hundreds of people were in the air, but Chase couldn't hear them, all he heard was the dark laughter that seemed to be coming from everywhere.

Chase was frozen in fear. One would think this was just a horrible nightmare, but he knew better. This was more than just a nightmare…

This was a memory... _His _memory...

A cold, earsplitting roar erupted from the village. Chase turned away and shut his eyes tight. Trying to wake himself up before he saw more, but the dream would not release him. The evil laugh of long ago seemed to grow louder, and Chase's eyes snapped open.

Floating in the blood red sky, Moby Morpher in hand and 10 feet tall, was the one who dared to laugh at the destruction.

_Hannibal Bean_

Chase glared up at his enemy but before he could attack another monstrous roar pierced the air, much closer this time. He looked at his surroundings and realized that he was no longer on the hill; He was in the courtyard of the xiaolin temple.

Chase ran through the familiar grounds that were littered with fire and rubble and turned a corner only to stop dead.

A large green and black dragon stocked around two battered warriors that were none other than the masters Dashi and Monk Guan. They each struggled to stay standing, clearly they had received a fair amount of deep wounds, but the look of unwavering determination still burned in their eyes.

Guan raised his spear as the beast bared its fangs and lunged. He stumbled back, but Guan managed to keep himself from being torn apart. He was, however, unable to avoid the dragon's tail, and was whipped hard and sent flying into the wall of a crumbling building.

"Guan!"

Both Chase and Dashi stared wide eyed at the unconscious warrior. Chase began to move to his side but something held him back. He looked over his shoulder and saw Hannibal's vine like arm wrapped tightly around his.

Chase turned back to Dashi as the beast approached him. His face showed no anger, no sign of fighting. He looked at peace. The beast prepared to pounce, teeth bared, and Dashi reached into his sleeve. Chase went wide eyed as the memory of what happened next became clear in his head. "_NO_!"

"_Sun Chi Lantern!"_

There was blinding explosion of power. Chase covered his eyes and struggled to move forward to his Masters aid. Once again the beast roared, not in anger or warning, but in pain and as it did the roar turned into a human cry.

Chase could finally see. On the ground where the beast had been lay an unconscious man in torn blue robes with long sharp black hair. Floating over him was Dashi, but in a form of pure chi that made him appear like a ghost, glowing brightly. The ghost of Dashi smiled at Chase then vanished into nothing.

"Dashi!" Chase finally pulled out of Hannibal's grip and ran forward. He looked around frantically but there was no sign of the grand master. Just him, the two warriors, and that horrible laugh…

"_**HANNIBAL**_!"

Chase looked at the Bean with what can only be described as utter hatred. It was the same hatred he had had in the past. The same hatred that made him swear revenge. And the same hatred that drove Chase to hunt the scum of a warrior until he had finally been destroyed...

Hannibal looked down at Chase and laughed with a wide yellow grin. He raised his arms and the Moby Morpher glowed bright as the bean took on a new form.

Still large, and still floating, but the bean was now a young human boy with tan skin, brown hair, green eyes and a cruel smile. Even his voice changed as he continued to laugh at the warrior's loss.

"Raimundo..?" Before Chase could get over the shock, Raimundo raised a hand and sent a gust of wind at him. Lifting the warrior off the ground and blowing him over the wall and falling into pitch darkness...

* * *

><p>Chase snapped forward, practically hyperventilating. His eyes darted around his room a moment until he was sure of where he was. It had just been a dream…<p>

_You know it wasn't…_

The entire dream seemed to come crashing back onto him at once, and Chase buried his head in his hands.

Dashi had restored Chase's soul at the expence of his own, he would never forget that. But he had never dreamed of his memories in such a way…and why had Bean morphed into Raimundo?

"This could be an Omen…"

_Or it could just be your guilt over Dashi's death finding a different way to torcher you…_

Chase looked out the window. It was still very late, a few more hours till dawn. Chase laid back on his mat and tried to clear his thoughts till morning.

He would lie there for the remainder of the night, unable to truly return to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: And that is the story of why Chase is still on the Xiaolin side. <strong>**I hope you all like it :)**

**P.S: I have had multiple ideas for my next Xiaolin Showdown Parody story, ****and decided to try a poll for which people would want to see first. **

**so please go to my profile and vote for which parody you would like to see me do next!**

**thank you and next chapter soon :)**


	15. Chance

Chapter 15

Despite his lack of sleep, Chase still went to the gardens at daybreak to do his Tai-Chi exercises. Trying to ease his racing thoughts and fears, he was completely separated from the world, so he did not sense the violent presence watching him.

* * *

><p>Raimundo was glaring at Chase from behind one of the buildings. He balled his fist and the wind around him picked up. He grinded his teeth in hatred, all directed at the warrior. He was about to attack when…<p>

"_Good morning Raimundo_!"

Rai practically jumped out of his skin.

He was about to stammer into some kind of nonsense defense for whatever they thought or knew he was doing, but when he turned it was only Omi. He mentally sighed in relief that it wasn't the huge cowboy who always looked at him like he wanted to punch his lights out.

"Oh…it's you… Didn't anyone ever tell you not to sneak up on people?"

Omi gave a large smile. "Of course they do. But as a xiaolin warrior, I must always be a master in the art of stealth; therefore sneaking up on people is inevitable." Rai rolled his eyes at the cheesehead and tried to return to his mission. "Whatever, now run along and train or something, I'm busy."

He motioned to look around the corner again but Omi, thinking he was walking away, grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Wait."

Rai turned back to the little monk and sighed. "What is it?" he didn't try to hide the annoyance in his voice, but Omi still didn't catch it.

"I would just like to be the first to welcome you to the xiaolin temple. Also, Kimiko has told me that you poses wind element capabilities."

Raimundo wasn't really paying attention and kept glanced over his shoulder anxiously. "Ah… Yeah, what of it..?"

"Nothing is of it. I am simply stating that you seem to have the necessary qualitys to be a Xiaolin Dragon." Rai's head snapped to look at the young boy.

"Are you saying… you think I could be a part of your group?" To put things simple, he had not been expecting this. Wuya had told him that the xiaolin had not wanted him as a Dragon, that they were afraid of his power and would sooner destroy him then give him such a high place in their temple.

Omi smiled at Raimundo brightly and sincerely. "Of course, my former heylin friend, and who knows? Perhaps if you train hard enough, you may even someday be as good as me!" Omi seemed to go off into his own thoughts of self-admiration.

Rai resisted the urge to face palm. _That_ he had been expecting. He wondered if Omi could possibly be more conceded then Jack. But that was off topic.

"Thanks for the pep talk."

"You are most welcome."

He rolled his eyes at Omi again and took his chance to look around the corner. But when he looked back at the gardens, there was no sign of Chase Young.

Rai dug a hand into the wall and mentally cursed himself for allowing Omi to distract him!

"Hey, Raimundo."

Rai turned to see Kimiko walking up to him with a bright smile.

Suddenly he forgot why he had been upset, and he found himself staring at her. The morning sun was hitting her at just the right angle that made her hair, skin, eyes…basically her whole appearance shine in an almost angelic way…

"So, you ready to go train?"

Her voice snapped Raimundo out of his trance and brought him back to earth. Some part of him was disappointed by that. Rai glanced back at Omi, still swimming in his own thoughts, then turned back to Kimiko and gave his usual smile. "Yeah, let's go."

The two walked along in silence a minute until Kimiko finally spoke. "Sorry about Omi, he give you any problems?"

Raimundo turned to her. "Is it just me or is his head big in more ways than one?" Kim nodded while trying to suppress a giggle. "You get used to it after a while...in some ways…"

Raimundo looked off toward the gardens and muttered under his breath. "I don't think they'll let me stick around long enough to get use to anything around here…" he was a bit louder than he meant to be and he felt Kimiko lay a small hand on his shoulder. "Hey… My dad may seem harsh, but on his honor you are allowed to stay here. And he's always kept his word …mostly."

Rai raised an eyebrow and stared at the smaller girl. "Mostly?"

Kimiko cast her eyes down and crossed her arms. "He told me that he trusted me to get the sheng gong wu on my own… But he sent Omi and Clay to follow me…" There was a hint of resentment in her voice, which somehow made Raimundo honestly want to comfort her.

He put a hand on her shoulder and gently turned her to face him. "Hey, I'm sure he did trust you. Did he actually say he swore on his honor?"

Kimiko stared at him. "Well…no…"

"Ya see. Besides, a word of honor is for the warrior. He promised you as your father."

Kimiko nodded and smiled at Raimundo sweetly. He noticed a looked in her eyes, it looked like... appreciation? Rai had never seen that look before. There was something else there but... Rai shook the thoughts away when he felt a blush creep onto his face. _Need to change subject! _

"Uh_... _Besides!" Rai crossed his arms and turned to the gardens. "He clearly had a right to be worried with the mess you got yourself into- _Ow_!"

Kimiko punched him in the arm and started stomping toward the training yard, muttering to herself in anger.

Rai rubbed his arm in pain.

_Well, that glare she gave me was more reassuring…but Dame that girl has a good arm!_

Raimundo looked at the part of the gardens where Chase had been and cursed himself again.

_I'll get another chance... _

"Hey you coming..?"

Kimiko was looking back at him, slightly worried by the frustrated and distant look on his face. "Huh..? Oh, yeah. Go ahead; I'll catch up in a sec." Kim smiled at him and continued walking.

Raimundo watched her leave and thought about that look she had given him…

_Pull yourself together dude! You have a mission! _

He hit his forehead a few times, before following Kimiko to the training grounds.

_Stay focused. You can't afford to get soft because of some girl…_

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: <strong>

**Hello :)**

**Here we see Raimundo is starting to be affected by the temple and a certain monk... will it be enough to save him?**

**thanks again to you many readers. hope you all liked the chapter. **

**I've decided that my poll will be open till the end of Febuary. votes are much appreciated. and thanks to the voters so far.**

**next chapter soon. please and thank you for patience.**


	16. Playing and Training

Chapter 16

Raimundo was lying back on the grass and watching the clouds drift by lazily when a small breeze passed him. Whispering to him. After it settled Rai sighed and propped himself up on one hand while starring at the other in a bored manner. "3…2…1…"

"_Fire_!"

Raimundo jumped into the air as a blast of fire incinerated the grass where he had been. "Ha! To slow!" He continued to hover in the air as he clapped his hands together and sent a huge gust of wind toward a small patch of trees, blowing Kimiko right out of her hiding place and sending her skidding across the yard.

"Ow…" She sat up and rubbed her head as Rai walked up to her and offered a hand. "What gave me away?" She brushed herself off as he helped her to her feet.

Raimundo chuckled and gave her his usual smug smile. "Even if I couldn't tell your location through wind? You're breathing too hard." Kimiko gave him a questioning look. Rai made a small tornado appear in his hand to demonstrate as he went on explaining. "You need to relax. For me I have to _become_ like the wind. Move quickly and without warning, but steady and powerful. You just need to control your breaths, take it in without others realizing your even doing so. Like fire does."

Kimiko was taken aback by how insightful that sounded. "What makes you such an expert?"

Raimundo shrugged then snapped up abruptly as another breeze passes him. He smiles and looks back toward the gate then at Kimiko. "Come on I'll show you." He took her hand and started running like the wind out of the temple and stopped moments later in the middle of a thick bamboo forest.

Rai released Kim's hand and made and motioned for her to keep quiet. Then turned to a thick patch of bamboo and pulled it open slightly.

"Watch and learn princess." Kimiko was about to ask what he was doing when he jumped through the bamboo.

She pushed back the stocks and watched as Raimundo ran into a clearing and jump into the air.

"Typhoon Boom! Wind!" Raimundo clapped his hands together and a huge gust of wind bent back an entire section of the bamboo. And apparently hit someone as a loud girlish scream flew back into the stocks.

Raimundo ran up to see who it was he had sensed in the woods and gave a confused and wide eyed stare to the terrified little dragon tangled in the bamboo.

Dojo went equally wide eyed and tried to squirm away and held up his hands in defense from his attacker. "_Ahh_! Please don't hurt me! I never even really met you're your dictator- I mean Hannibal! Oh yeah a real standup guy..! Bean..? Whatever!"

Raimundo raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Chill, I'm not going to hurt you, geeze..."

Kimiko ran up to them and started untangling Dojo's tail while glaring at Rai. "Wait a go Raimundo. You have struck fear into the hearts of helpless dragons everywhere..."

As soon as she freed him, Dojo jumped onto Kimiko's shoulder and hugged her. "Oh Kimiko! Thank Dashi you're here!"

Raimundo rolled his eyes and looked around the clearing. "Something's not right… I could have sworn there was someone here. And I mean _human_ not _gecko_."

Dojo jumped off Kimiko and put his hands to his sides. "I am not a gecko! And I believe you were sensing them."

Dojo pointed up and Rai and Kim looked and saw as Omi and Clay jumping from the top of the bamboo, and onto the smaller stocks in the clearing. The two jumped from branch to branch, using them like springboards to move from one to another.

Clay spotted them and smiled at Kimiko while completely ignoring Raimundo. "Well howdy there Kimiko. How's it going?"

Kim raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her sides. "I'm fine... what are you two doing?"

Omi landed on a branch a bit lower and it bent almost to the ground in front of Kim. "For once we are not following you. The bamboo forest is simply a wondrous place to explore!" He used the branch to launch himself back to the top of the clearing, while laughing in amusement. Clay followed suit.

"You said a mouthful partner." Clay jumped again and landed next to Omi who gave him a confused look. "But I have not eaten sense breakfast. How could my mouth have been full?" Clay face palmed and jumped again. "Forget it."

As soon as Clay's weight left the branch Omi went soring. All eyes watched him become a tiny spec then take on shape again as he fell back to earth.

"Wind!" Raimundo caught Omi just before he would have gone splat in front of them.

Clay jumps to the ground and helps Omi to his feet. "Sorry about that little buddy." He then turned to Raimundo. "...Nice catch."

Rai shrugged. He had already caught onto the fact that the cowboy didn't like him. "No big deal."

Clay nodded then seemed to lighten up, if just a little. "Hey you two wanna join in on this rodeo?"

Raimundo looked at Kimiko in a way that asked: _translation?_

Kimiko brushed him off and nodded to Clay.

The Earth and Water Dragons' turn back to the bamboo and start climbing to the top of the clearing then ran along the top of the forest and out of sight.

Rai looked at Kimiko, very confused. "Okay…What just happened?" He gestures to the top of the clearing with both arms.

Kimiko giggles and took one of his wrists. "You get use to that to. Come on."

She pulled him to the branches and started climbing. Rai stared at her as she jumped off a few stocks and vanished in the sunlight.

He snapped himself out of his trance and used the wind to quickly reach the top of the forest.

_These xiaolin have weird training techniques…_

As soon as Raimundo landed on the top of the forest he saw the others had ducked down into another clearing, and he quickly fallowed.

He landed on the ground just as Clay and Kimiko came running towards him like there was a ghost on their trail.

Rai immediately took a fighting stance but Kimiko grabbed his arm again and pulled him forward.

They ran a few feet on the ground before the two Dragons jumped up into the stocks and started running from branch to branch in an effort to escape.

_Escape what though..? _

Raimundo hung on a stock and looked back, only to go wide eyed. There were large blocks of ice randomly about the clearing. And swinging towards him, greatly showing off his agility, was Omi.

The little monk spotted Rai and shot a blast of water hurtling toward him.

Raimundo was stuck in place, wondering what was going on, and would have been incased in ice to the bamboo if Clay hadn't grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him out of the way.

"Come on partner you gotta run if you don't wanna get caught!" Clay pulled Raimundo into a different path and was running along the bent bamboo with Kimiko. Rai ran with them though he didn't understand why they were running.

When the two Dragons were sure they had lost their pursuer and stopped for a breath, Rai decided to protest the retreat. "It's just the cheese ball! We can take him easy." Clay looked at Rai like he had just asked a pretty stupid question.

"That's not the point of freeze tag. And Omi there takes the freeze part pretty seriously." As if to prove his point, Omi jumped out of the branches and almost froze Clay, who was lucky and ducked out of the way in time.

The three started running again and Rai realized that Clay and Kimiko were _laughing_ while they dodged blasts of ice.

"What's this supposed to teach us anyway..?" Raimundo dodged another blast "How to escape an enemy or frostbite?"

Kimiko was running beside him now. Laughing like a little kid. "Teach? We have all day to train Rai! Were just taking a break, playing around, get it?"

Raimundo didn't say anything, but developed a clearly confused look on his face.

Clay was jumping on branches lower to the ground on the side opposite the two. "Wait, you tellin us ya never just goofed off before? Dang partner! You must have been more sheltered then a cow to the ranch."

Raimundo and Kimiko grinded to a halt as Omi did a flip into the air and landed on a branch a few feet in front of them. "Clay is correct, Raimundo. You must be escaping your domicile more frequently!"

Rai raised an eyebrow, trying to decipher the monk's sentence, when Kimiko elbowed his arm jokingly. "He means '_getting out more often_'. And I agree."

Kimiko shoved Raimundo off the branch he had been standing on just as Omi shot ice at them. Raimundo hit the ground with a thud and looked up as Kimiko did a few flips off the branches and started weaving down the path again. "Come on guys, new game: Catch the Dragon!" Raimundo got to his feet and was about to call back to her when Omi slapped him on the back and started climbing after his fellow Dragon with Clay by his side.

"New player is _the thing_!"

"_It,_ Omi, _**IT**_!"

The Dragons ran into the forest, the echo of their laughter giving away their location. But Raimundo stood where he was. Stunned. Not really sure what to do... He hadn't done anything like this in years. And the very idea of running through the woods playing some game with no real purpose sounded completely... Pointless..?childish..? ridiculous..? Or maybe... _Fun..._

Raimundo smiled and flew to the top of the forest. "Okay, but you guys asked for it!"

He flew at amazing speed through the forest. Quickly catching up to the Dragons, Rai shot one blast of wind and sent Clay and Omi falling into the bushes below. Kimiko, much to Rai's amazement, managed to jump out of the way in time. She turned back to the shocked Raimundo and stuck out her tongue teasing and childishly at him.

It was on now.

Kimiko let out a half-laugh half-yelp as Raimundo sped up and started chasing her through the forest.

Clay and Omi had revered from their fall and were trying to catch up to them but Rai didn't pay them any attention. He was determined to catch Kim.

Kimiko flipped off the bamboo with amazing speed and agility, but when she looked back Raimundo was still right behind her. She continued to run, looking back with every step.

When she finally turned her eyes back to the path in front of her, she let out a cry and tried to grind to a halt. Raimundo flew up and grabbed her from behind only to go wide eyed at what was ahead and he too struggled to a stop. "Got ya- _Ahh_!"

Resting on the bamboo, glaring at them from all angles, were easily a hundred or so dark _green monkeys_.

A few were simply looking at them curiously, others glaring, and a few growling and baring their teeth.

"Oh boy..." Raimundo had his arms around Kimiko, and she held to him for protection. She would never admit it, but Kimiko had had a horrible fear of monkeys ever since an incident involving the monkey staff...

Omi and Clay landed on either side of the two and stared in shock at the hoard of monkeys.

"Alright…" Clay put up his hands defensively and took a step back on the bent bamboo. "…No need to panic... Just back away _real_ slowly..."

Kimiko clung to Raimundo tight as they all started to move back away from the growling primates. They only made it a few steps.

Clay stepped back, ran out of branch, and started falling to the ground with a surprised cry. The branch he had been standing on then snapped back and smacked a larger monkey right between the eyes. It howled in anger and jumped at the teens. The other monkeys fallowed, baring their fangs.

The three let out a scream in unison and jumped from the branches toward the ground. Raimundo held Kimiko in one arm; she was too scared to run on her own.

Rai and Omi reached the ground gently and ran past Clay, who was hanging from a branch he had lassoed to keep from hitting the ground. "Nice of you guys to drop in…" He started but the boys ran right past him, Kimiko called back to Clay as they bolted. "Talk later! Run now!"

Clay was confused but then he looked up and saw the heard of very angry monkeys coming toward him. "Oh Dang!" He let go of his branch, which luckly hit a few monkeys, and ran to catch up with the others.

The four weaved through the forest as fast as they could, eventually they were out of the bamboo and stumbling into the fields. But they could hear the monkeys still coming for them.

Omi turned back the forest and took up a stance. Nine dots glowing bright on his forehead. "Wudai Neptune! Ice!"

The others watched in awe as an enormous wall of thick ice appeared between them and the raging primates, completly blocking any way for them to reach them.

Omi collapsed to his knees and they all started taking in deep breaths that slowly turned back into their laughter.

"Yee-Ha! That was some move there Omi!" The Texan slapped his the little Dragon on the back and helped him to his feet. "Thank you Clay, I am most impressed with myself as well..."

Raimundo was smiling brightly, he couldn't honestly remember the last time he had had so much fun! "Ha! Man that was awesome!"

The other boys turned to him and Clay shot a look. Raimundo raised an eyebrow and turned to Kimiko, and both went bright red.

He still had his arm around her.

They both laughed nervously. Rai raised his hands up in a defensive way and took a step back.

Rai then cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Uh... Ha... Um, you're it, Kim."

Clay continued to stare at the two skeptically and protectively, but he seemed to relax a bit. "I think we should be moseying on back to the temple before they send a search party..."

Omi agreed with Clay and happily started leading the way back to the temple. Raimundo started to fallow when he felt Kimiko grab his arm. "Hey, Rai…" He turned to her, still a bit embarrassed. Kim smiled at him warmly. "...Thanks for the rescue... again..."

Rai relaxed and smiled back at her with a similar glow. "Any time..."

The two teens stood where they were a moment, just smiling at one another...

Then Omi's voice brought them back to reality. "Kimiko! Raimundo! Are you coming?"

The two look over at the boys. Omi stood at the crest of the hill impatiently tapping his foot and Clay stood a bit down the hill, staring at them questioningly from under his hat.

Kim chuckled at her friends and walked with them over the hill. Raimundo on the other hand took a moment before fallowing them, trying to reflect what exactly had just happened...

* * *

><p><strong>Authors note: <strong>

**you all remember the green monkeys :D **

**and hopefully the bamboo forest...i didnt have the heart to burn it down.**

**another song coming up, so things may go a bit slow. **

**patience appreciated.**

**thanks :) **


	17. Stars

Chapter 17

It had been a few weeks since Raimundo had joined the temple, and all in all, he had really started fitting in. Master Fung seemed really impressed with his skills, and even Clay had started to warm up to him a little.

Raimundo seemed to be accepted as one of the Dragons. He trained with them, went after sheng gong wu with them, ate with them, slacked off with them, of course he still slept in a different building, Chase made sure of that.

Despite everything Rai still was making no progress in getting close to Chase Young. And honestly…he found himself caring less and less.

Sure now and then it got to him because it was his mission, but then something like training with Clay, or trying to teach Omi the modern language, or Kimiko... just being there, would make him forget why he was at the temple for any other reason than to be there.

One day Rai was walking through the fields and found something way too good to keep to himself, so that night he pulled Kimiko aside and told her to meet him by the gate after dinner. She did, and he led her into the fields.

"Rai, where are you taking me?" Kim stopped walking after about three hills and tapped her foot impatiently.

Rai turned to her. "I just want to show you something, we're almost there…" he walked a few more steps then quickly turned back to her again. "Hey, could you close your eyes?"

Kimiko gave him a questioning look and didn't move; Raimundo walked up behind her and covered her eyes with his hands. "Geeze girl, just humor me here." He lead her forward a bit further then stopped. "Okay. Now."

He uncovered her eyes and Kim let out a gasp.

It was a beautiful patch in the field that had a stream cutting through it, and a blooming cherry blossom tree. fireflies danced around in the cool night air, and the stars seemed to glow with them in the perfect crystal clear night.

"Wow…" Kimiko walked forward in a trance, Rai stayed where he was and smiled at her. "I thought you'd like it." Kim turned to him, glowing brightly. "Rai…this is…Amazing…" he shrugged off the complement and watched her lean against the tree and look at the sky. "Man, this place is perfect to watch the stars…"

Rai suddenly got an idea. Before she knew it, he had walked up to Kimiko, picked her up in his arms, and jumped into the tree. He placed her on a branch then jumped onto another one above her, and the two sat there for a while, looking at the stars.

"…Yeah, your right. Oh hey! That one looks like Dojo!" Kimiko pointed to some stars that formed a long serpent like shape weaving through the sky. "See, he's flying." Raimundo followed her hand and smiled. "Yeah, it does." He scanned the sky a moment then sat up. "Oh, check that one out!" He pointed to a constellation that resembled a person on a board surfing along a wave of stardust. "Reminds me of the beaches back in Rio."

Rai sank back far into the tree after saying that, silently praying she wouldn't ask. But Kimiko looked up at him. "You've been there?" Rai knew there was no way around this subject now, he kept his eyes on the sky. "…I was born there."

Kim sat up immediately and looked at Rai questioningly. "Really..? Why did you leave?"

Raimundo glanced back at her and sighed. "Well, as far as I know my parents are dead. I lived on the streets for about 12 years, and one day… some guys … they just made me so angry and I… I created a hurricane…" Rai glanced and Kimiko again, she had covered her mouth with her hands to surpress a gasp, and was staring at him with sweet, sad eyes.

He swung his feet over the side of the branch and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "Next thing I knew, Wuya found me hiding in the wreckage and offered me a home and anything I could ever want… Wouldn't you take it?"

Kim stared at him a moment, trying to find the right words to say next. She finally sighed and looked up at him questioningly and cautiously. "Did you know the heylin were evil? When you joined them?"

Raimundo raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "On some level it was obvious, mostly because Jack would always be talking about _evil_ world domination, calling himself an '_evil_ genius,' and laughing that really lame _evil_ laugh..."

"And you stilled stayed with them for so long..?" Kimiko sounded genuinely curious, honestly concerned and hurt for him… that made him answer truthfully, even to himself. "I didn't think I had any other choice…"

_Still not sure I do..._

At that thought Raimundo quickly tried to change the subject. "…It's really beautiful tonight isn't it?" He practically slapped himself over that excuse. But Kimiko got the point that he didn't want to talk about it anymore and went with it.

"Yeah it is… You know, my dad use to take me out at night… show me the constellation." She smiled up at the sky as she went into her memories. "…He told me, when a great warrior moves on… you can still see them in the stars, watching their legacy unfold."

Raimundo listened to her intently, his eyes drifted back to the stars, and a question formed in his mind. "You think Hannibal's there?" Kimiko's eyes locked on Raimundo. He suddenly realized he had thought aloud. He turned from her, jumped out of the tree, and sat in the grass beside the stream.

Kimiko climbed out of the tree and looked at him with concern. He could feel her gaze, but he kept his eyes locked on his reflection in the water. "I never knew Hannibal but…Wuya always believed I could be like him..." She sat next to him. "…My masters said Hannibal was... swallowed by so much evil, that there was no hope he could ever be saved…"

Raimundo stared at his reflection, despair written on every feature. "Then maybe there's no hope for me either…" He felt Kimiko's hand on his shoulder and finally turned to face her. She was smiling at him in reassurance, her eyes shining with the desire to comfort him.

A small smile appeared on his face, despite everything, he just couldn't help it. She could make everything dark about his life melt away and leave him warm and happy. There was something about it all, ever since he had arrived at the temple.

There was something about it, about the Dragons, the xiaolin, the temple, about Kimiko, that was just so… _different_.

A breeze surrounded the two, Kimiko shivered and without thinking Raimundo wrapped an arm around her and held her close. She nuzzled into him and the two sat silently, holding each other and watching the stars.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, from a hill some feet away, Chase watched the two teenagers at the stream. As the scene unfolded Chase scowled and looked to the sky as if searching for someone. "Master... Dashi... what am I to do? This boy is heylin... Wuya's apprentice. How can you expect me to except him?"<p>

"Begin with opening your mind to the possibility that Raimundo is no longer heylin."

Chase tuned as Master Fung walked up the hill and stood next to him. He smiled in a way that seemed to ask him something, most likely: _why are you on a hill in the middle of the night?_ Chase sighed and turned back to the sky. "I had hoped to gain wisdom from masters past."

"Did they help?"

Chase faced his companion again. It was apparently a serious question. Not that he would expect sarcasm from the old master.

"Silent as ever…"

Master Fung placed a hand on Chase's shoulder. "Chase Young, you have always worked to prove you are not the monster Hannibal tried to make you. Perhaps Raimundo simply wants the same."

Chase looked into the old man's eyes, full of wisdom and belief. He knew he was right. "I am going to retire for the night. Perhaps you should as well."

Chase nodded to Master Fung, who tuned to go back to the temple while Chase stayed on the hill.

He watched his daughter and the former heylin a few moments. No matter how he felt about this, he knew Raimundo deserved a chance from him...

With that thought, he turned from the two teenagers in the field and fallowed the old monk back to the temple.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors note: I am SO sorry this took so long, the internet was down at my house so i couldn't upload. <strong>

**on a plus side, i had pleanty of time to work on the music and stuff in the next chap. **

**which i will post very soon. ****thank you all for your patcience :)**


	18. Dreams to Reality

Chapter 18

Kimiko stayed in Raimundo's arms, enjoying the peace. When she finally looked up at him, he was staring at her with those bright emerald eyes. Their faces were mere inches apart, but Kimiko didn't feel embarrassed this time, actually she liked being close to him, wrapped in his arms.

Her heart did a backflip as Raimundo leaned closer to her and his eye's began to close. She did the same, almost in a trance.

Just before their lips met Raimundo's eyes shot open and he unwrapped his arm from around her before scooting away. Kimiko opened her eyes and stared at him, clearly disappointed. "What's wrong?"

Raimundo looked into her eyes, unable to believe what he had almost done. He had almost _kissed_ her! And what was worse, he really _wanted_ to kiss her… but how could he when the only reason he was even there was to kill her dad! He was just as disappointed as she was, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. "...It's nothing, I…It's nothing…" And he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth either.

He turned from her and walked back to the tree, leaning on the trunk while trying to escape those beautiful blue eyes watching him with concern.

"Rai…" Kimiko stood and walked closer to him, her voice was calm and assuring. Begging him to tell her what was wrong. And for the briefest moment he belied he could. He walked back to her, taking her hand in both of his pleadingly.

"It's just that … my whole life I was trained to…" He stopped himself. She couldn't understand, couldn't forgive him, what was the point, of any of it. "…nothing, I have to go… I don't think… I don't think I can stay in the temple any more…"

He released her hand and turned to leave. Kimiko was on the verge of tears hearing that, she loved having him at the temple, he was… her friend. He belonged at the temple; He belonged with the xiaolin, with the Dragons… with _her_.

She cared about him, _deeply_, and didn't want to see him like this; she didn't want him to leave. "Raimundo, wait…"

He stopped under the tree and looked back at her. She was silently begging him to stay, and it hurt him deeply, but he turned his back to her and started walking again.

_Oh, no you don't!_

Raimundo barely took three steps before Dojo dropped from a tree branch and hung down right in his face. "And just where do you think you're going buster?"

"Aye!" Raimundo jumped back, thinking Dojo was a snake, but sighed in both irritation and relief that it was just the xiaolin mascot. "Huh…Nowhere…"

Dojo swung right into Rai's face. "Ha! That's what you think." The dragon then vanished into the tree and left Raimundo confused and agitated.

He turned to Kimiko as she walked up beside him and looked up into the tree. "How do you put up with that lizard?"

Kimiko turned to him and shrugged. "He's family."

Dojo swung down again between them, startling them both. "I'm also _not_ a _lizard_! I am a _Dragon!_" he dropped onto Raimundo's shoulder and looked at him impatiently. "Now come on. Let's get going."

Dojo jumped into the air and supersized. Kimiko raised an eyebrow. "Go where, Dojo?" He landed in front of her and motioned for the two to climb on. "Please save all your questions till after the flight has begun." Kim shrugged and jumped onto Dojo's back. She turned to Raimundo, who stood under the tree looking at the dragon skeptically. "Rai, you coming?"

Kimiko held out a hand, and Raimundo took a few steps back with his hands raised. "I don't think it's a good - wow!" Before he could get away Dojo snaked Rai onto his back with his tail and shot into the air. Raimundo and Kimiko sat close together and looked over the side as Dojo flew higher and farther from the temple.

Raimundo raised an eyebrow as they passed the mountain range, he had never gone this far before. "Where's he taking us?" Kimiko tuned her head to him and shrugged, she hadn't been around this range either.

They both looked at Dojo when he finally spoke up. "Nowhere really, think of it as a field trip to the heart..."

Dojo suddenly started descending, the quick change in direction sent Kimiko stumbling back into Raimundo's chest. She turned her head to apologize to him and the two came nose to nose. Kimiko tuned away and laughed nervously while Raimundo went a very deep shade of red and tried to look at anything but her, neither one motioned to move away though.

Dojo couldn't help but smile at the two lovebirds; now all he needed to do was make sure they stayed like that. No way was Dojo going to let that kid slip back to the heylin now! They were so close! All he needed was the right persuasion.

As Dojo continued his spiral decent he took out two sheng gong wu he had taken from the vault.

The Shadow of Fear and the Reversing Mirror.

Used together, the two sheng gong wu changed the flat landscape into a dream like world, shifting from one memory to another, all retaining to Raimundo's time in the temple.

Dojo flew along the ground and the wu took effect. Raimundo and Kimiko watched in awe as the sky began shifting multiple colors, and random figures and such jumped to the ground and went on as if it was normal. And what was probably strangest was when music started drifting through the air, and Dojo stared singing to it.

**There's a place**

**Where the crescent moon**

**Makes green monkeys sing**

**And you fallow the tune**

**And the sweetest scents from the garden blooms**

**Will urge for you to stay**

Dojo landed in a patch grass, the bright silver moon shinning overhead, Raimundo helped Kimiko off of Dojo, and she fell into his arms. Rai went red at first, and then he saw she was staring wide eyed at something behind him. A pack of green monkeys again.

Raimundo held Kimiko close and prepared to fight the monkeys, but they seemed to not notice them, and instead they were chattering along to the music. Rai had to admit it was catchy. Kimiko relaxed a bit and Rai remembered he was holding her.

He stepped back and somehow found himself in a patch of flowers, similar to the ones in the temples gardens, only brighter and there smell was so much stronger it was almost like perfume. He plucked one and stared at it for a moment, his eyes drifted to Kimiko –who was also admiring the flowers – and he thought about giving it to her.

But Dojo appeared on his shoulder and scared the thought out of his head.

**Where you Dragons play on the bamboo vines**

**And the Wu activate at the worst of times!**

**All you kids stay close cuz you're intertwineded**

**The Dragons save the day**

The patch of flowers was suddenly surrounded by tall bamboo stalks, exactly like the clearing in the forest.

Overhead Kimiko and Raimundo could see four figures jumping from branch to branch, two were Clay and Omi the other two were Kim and Rai. They all laughed and dodged and played. Both teens stood side by side and watched the memory, not even realizing how close they were. If one wanted, they could have held the others hand.

Dojo watched the two anxiously waiting for one to make a move, or for Raimundo to decide not to leave just yet. He started to twitch in frustration…or maybe that was a new sheng gong wu… But that could wait, match-making couldn't.

Dojo slithered over to them and placed their hands together. They took a second to notice, and then they lifted their joined hands, eyes moving between them and each other. Kimiko smiled at Rai, he smiled back nervously, both were blushing deeply, but neither made any sigh of pulling apart.

**With the Xiaolin**

**Where all the fruit grows sweet**

**And it's so divine that you'll change your mind**

**And will keep you on your feet**

Suddenly Dojo flew by and pushed them onto his back. They flew out of the bamboo and through a grove of trees that had dozens of different fruits growing from them. Raimundo reached out as Dojo flew and easily picked one. Kimiko tried to do the same but got caught and almost fell, but Raimundo quickly wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back into him.

**With the Xiaolin**

**Sure we got worries but we care**

**We just need you to help us through**

**You heart may keep you there**

Rai helped Kim steady herself on Dojo, and then grabbed another fruit before tossing on to her. Kimiko smiled at the fruit in her hand before surprising Raimundo with a kiss on the cheek. He went bright red and dumb for a few seconds, then stumbled closer toward Dojo's head.

"You know, I heard you say were thinking about leaving…" Raimundo glanced down at Dojo then back at his fruit. "What's it matter to you?" Dojo did his best to shrug without shoving Raimundo off his shoulders.

"I'm part of the temple, so I represent everyone when I say we really need you Rai. The Dragons need wind; it's all that balance mumbo jumbo…" Dojo realized Raimundo wasn't listening to him, apparently he was finding something completely fascinating about his pomegranate.

"Besides there's obviously something, or maybe _someone_, that's made staying at the temple so far worth it…" Raimundo stare at the dragon. "What are you talking about?" Dojo glanced at him with an inside knowledge smile. "I'm sure you know."

Dojo went back to flying, and Raimundo's eyes drifted back to Kimiko. She was watching the beautiful illusions fly by while calmly eating her fruit, long black hair flying back in the wind, eyes shining bright as stars…

**You'll need to watch your step, cause your path is steep**

**Gonna hold your breath cause your choice is peaked**

**It's a long road ahead to the Dragon rank**

**But the journeys half the fun**

**With the Xiaolin**

**Sure we got worries but we care**

**We just need you to help us through**

**You heart may keep you there**

Raimundo saw figures in the shadows as they flew by, after a moment it was clear who they were: Jack, Katnappe, and Wuya...

He glanced at Kimiko and Dojo; they didn't seem to notice them. The Heylin warriors looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to do something. It didn't matter if they were really there or just illusions, they were still watching him, waiting for him to complete his mission.

Rai thought about what he had been through in his time at the temple. The dragons were actually… nice… and they liked him, accepted him. Master Fung had even told him he was on the right track to becoming the Xiaolin Dragon of wind, and being part of the team.

The Xiaolin, the training was hard but unlike with the Heylin, it was also fun. The others treated him like a friend, not just another warrior. The monks treated him like student, not a prophet. And Chase…well you take the good with the bad. And Kimiko...She was unlike anyone Raimundo had ever met before. She liked him for him. The _real_ him.

He turned to the small girl sitting behind him, and just stared at her, smiling.

**We need to hunt down wu like there's no tomorrow**

**From the Mantis Flip Coin to the Yin-Yang Yoyo**

**But will have your back Rai, wherever you are**

**Together beneath the sun**

Dojo flew into the fluffy pink clouds and sang with the music again. Kimiko moved closer Raimundo and they watched the clouds shape themselves into Sheng Gong Wu they had collected as well as plenty they hadn't seen yet, they pointed a few out as they flew.

Rai looked over at Kimiko; in the entire world of breath taking illusions they were in, _she_ was the most beautiful thing he had seen yet.

Kimiko would always stand up for Raimundo when Clay questioned him, when they trained together she would cheer for him louder than for any of the others, she would offer to listen to him whenever she felt he had something on his mind, she acted differently toward him then the others… she liked him… and he liked her. It wasn't an act anymore… she was the first thing in years that seemed, _there_. There beside him, there to help him, there and never going to leave him.

One of her hands rested on Dojo's head, and Raimundo took it in his own. Kimiko turned to look at him with big blue eyes. Raimundo smiled at her, and she could read him like a book. He would stay...with her.

Dojo landed in a large green field, Kimiko and Raimundo jumped off, fingers entwined. A bright orange sun rose over the field and covered the young couple in its warm golden rays.

They kept their eyes on each other until they heard Dojo start singing again, and they began to sing along with him.

**With the Xiaolin**

**Where all the fruit grows sweet**

**And it's so divine that you'll change your mind**

**And will keep you on your feet**

Dojo flew thought the orchards again, and the two dragons ran after him. Raimundo stopped when he lost sight of Kimiko. He looked around a second before he felt something hard and sticky hit the back of his head, rubbing his injury, he picked up the weapon off the ground. _An Apple? _

Rai heard a familiar giggling from behind one of the trees. He smiled to himself and jumped into the air. Kimiko peeked out from her hiding spot only to see Raimundo was gone, she wondered where he had gone a half a second before he appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

The two laughed at the childish joke, then fell silent when they saw once again how close they were. But before they could act or think, Dojo flew out of nowhere and scooped them onto his back again.

**With the Xiaolin**

**Sure we got worries but we care**

**We just need you to help us through**

**You heart …**

**Will keep you there…**

The couple sat on Dojo's back, smiling happily, Raimundo had one arm around Kimiko, who was leaning her head on his shoulder. They watched as the illusions began to dissolve, but the music continued to play as they flew back to the temple. Before long they were back under a dark blue night sky with hundreds of winking stars and the silver shimmering moon.

They sat silently listening to the music softly come to an end. Raimundo looked down at Kimiko, and she smiled back at him warmly and lovingly. He took the side of her face in his free hand and leaned down to meet her lips with his in a soft and sweet kiss; she happily returned the gesture that lasted the rest of the way back to the temple.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors note: <strong>**TaDa ! and they are together! **

**I did the lyrics myself, and that took me about 2 days. **

**I hope you guys liked the chap. :)**


	19. Plan B?

Chapter 19

Raimundo walked with Kimiko through the gardens after Dojo had dropped them off. Rai had one arm around her and was humming the song from the very strange date the two had just been on under his breath. Kimiko leaned her head against his chest and drifted peacefully in an out of sleep as they walked.

It was long past midnight, so the two stopped at the sleeping courters and reluctantly left each other's arms. "Goodnight…" Rai smiled at her sweetly, she smiled back and placed a light kiss on his cheek. "…Goodnight…" Rai touched his cheek and noticed Kimiko's eyes drifting behind him. He followed her gaze to the guest rooms, where he had been placed like an outsider.

He turned back to her with a reassuring smile. He wasn't going to let something small like that get to him. There was nothing that would make him leave her now. Kimiko hugged him at the silent vow, and then silently walked through the door and to her room.

Raimundo watched her leave, and then turned to go off to his own room. It was only a few hours till sunrise.

Chase Young watched the two from the shadows. As soon as they parted he sighed in defeat. Why did Fung always have to be right? He snapped his fingers and disappeared, then reappeared behind Raimundo. Chase cleared his throat and Rai turned and nearly jumped out of his skin.

Considering Chase had probably seen him coming back to the temple in the middle of the night with his daughter, the only thought that was going through his head was _'I'm dead…'_

But instead of maiming him, Chase put his hands behind his back and looked over at the sleeping courters. "I will be training you and the other Dragons tomorrow; I suggest you get some rest. I don't go easy on anyone."

Raimundo just stared at him a moment. In complete shock that he had been addressed as one of the Dragons by Chase. But he smiled slightly and nodded, then started to move to go to the guest courters.

"Where are you going?"

Rai stopped and faced Chase again. "My room…"

"The Dragons courters are over there."

Rai was struck again of gaurd. Was he actually accepted to the temple? Chase gave a small smile and started for the sleeping quarters. Raimundo hesitated at first but soon followed… smiling.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back in Wuya's palace she, Katnappe, and Jack watch the scene unfold through the All Seeing Eye. Wuya and Katnappe smiled wickedly at the image while Jack pouts in the corner.<p>

Chase was finally alone, his defense was down. it was the chance they had been waiting for! Wuya practically jumped in excitement. "Yes! At last! Finish him!"

The three watched as Chase went into the building. Raimundo reached the door and stopped dead; he turned and looked back, as if he knows they are watching him, he was practically staring right at them.

Katnappe looked at the eye in distress, "What are you waiting for? Rai get him!" Jack appeared next to her and grinned smugly, while Wuya was grinding her teeth and glaring daggers at the eye. Rai finally turned his back to them and disappeared into the building.

As soon as the image vanished Wuya screamed in furry and sent a blast of green fire flying everywhere. Katnappe and Jack cringe and back away from the fuming witch. After a few moments Katnappe cautiously tried to speak. "Um…boss lady?" Wuya ignored her. Jack, being in an ego inhanced mood despite himself, decided to milk the situation. "Well, looks like you instincts were a little off on him, huh Wuya? So, whats plan B?"

Wuya snapped to face Jack with pure furry burning in her eyes. Causing him to instantly cower back. Lucky for him rather then attack, Wuya simply clenched her fist and stormed out of the room. trying to calm her rage and plan her next move. she wasn't going to let her plan fail. "Raimundo can _NOT_ betray us!"

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: sorry i've been slow on updates. schools been killer lately...<strong>

**next chap. is a big one so i'll do my best to put it up soon.**

**thanks for reading :)**


	20. All Down Hill

Chapter 20

The next day was the same as any, 6 am wake up call, breakfast, training, chores. But it was also different. Raimundo could tell in the way everyone looked at him, talked to him, it was like he was any of the others. They actually trusted him…

Now he felt like more of a scum then ever!

Sure he had renounced the heylin side, and sure he was loyal to the temple completely. But the fact that the entire reason he had found all this, found Kimiko, was based on a lie was hard for him to bear anymore… at least on his own…

He had to come clean. If they really did trust him now, then they would forgive him right?

Raimundo decided he'd tell Kimiko first. She'd understand, and help him tell the others. He had tried to talk to her all morning, but there was always someone around, and even if there wasn't he didn't know how he'd explain himself.

After he finished his chores he saw Kimiko sitting beside the fountain, alone, there was his chance. Raimundo ducked behind a building before she could see him. "Okay, you have to tell her now. Oh man, where do I start..?"

Rai thought a moment then cleared his throat and talked to an imaginary person in front of him. "Kimiko, listen, Wuya had a plan... to destroy the temple, and…I was supposed to do it. But I wouldn't now! I've changed! And it's because I… its cause I'm in love with you Kim…" He sank against the wall and buried his head in his hand. "Whom I kidding… she'll never buy this…"

Raimundo heard someone humming from around the corner and looked over to see Kimiko walking toward him. He smiled slightly, how could she be so beautiful after scrubbing the temple floors for an hour? Rai got to his feet and took in a deep breath. "Here goes nothing…"

Rai walked around the corner, Kimiko stopped and smiled at him. "Hey, Rai."

"Hey, Kim, listen…" Rai rubbed the back of his head and his eyes focused on his feet. "…I…need to tell you something…"

"Kimiko." Both Dragons turned and saw Chase walking toward them, face stern and even possibly angry. "I don't want you speaking with him." He seemed to glare at Raimundo.

_Okay... Now i'm dead!_

Kimiko looked at Chase, almost hurt, but before she could speak Chase's features softened and so did his voice. "_I_ wish to speak with him." Kimiko smiled widely at her dad, while Rai's jaw almost dropped. Honestly what guy wouldn't be a little scared to be left alone with his girlfriend's dad?

Chase smiled at Kimiko and motioned for Raimundo to fallow him. Rai looked at Kimiko for help, but she nudged him forward, and watched the two walk through the temple gate.

She had a good feeling about this. Though she wondered what Raimundo was going to tell her. _Oh well, he could just tell me later…_

* * *

><p>Chase had wondered what lies Wuya must have told Raimundo to keep him on her side, and decided that the boy needed to know just what the heylin were capable of doing now that he was part of the temple.<p>

The best way Chase could think to explain, was through example. He told Rai the story of how Hannibal had tricked him, how he had almost lost his humanity, and had lost a good friend.

The two walked the entire time and ended up on the mountain trail that had started it all. Funny, how it seemed like so long but also not so long ago that the fire had burned up the trail.

"…Dashi sacrificed his own soul to save mine, and in the end, I and master monk Guan avenged him."

Raimundo had been listening to Chase's story in silence, as soon as he finished Rai tried to find the right words to say next. "I…I never heard that story that way before…Hannibal really was a monster..."

Chase stopped walking and looked around at the burned up and ash covered clearing they stood in. "Many might think I am a monster, or fire is a monster… but they forget that fire also makes life possible. Every day I try to prove I'm not what people assume me to be." Rai felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at Chase, who was smiling kindly at him. "I think we all do."

Rai smiled and nodded in understanding.

Out of almost nowhere a sharp and dark feminine laugh cut through the air and clouds of dark ash picked up and incased the clearing. Chase and Raimundo both took a fighting stance, back to back, and looked around cautiously for the source of the laughter.

Suddenly dozens of large jungle cats appeared out of the the clouds, teeth bared as they started to close in on them. Two cats moved aside as their mistress approached, her partners on either side of her. Rai dropped his stance and turned into a nervous wreck. _This can't be happening! _

Wuya glanced at Raimundo, he could practically feel the icy furry in her eyes. She then turned to Chase, her eyes stayed the same, it matched the cruel smirk on her face. "Hello Chase."

"Wuya!" Chase remained in his stance, glaring at the witch.

"I'm curious, why are you all the way out here? So far from the temple and anyone to help you should someone decide to...take advantage of your situation..." Again she let out a low dark chuckle that sent a chill up Rai's spine.

The cats growled and closed in more, ready to pounce when ordered.

"Oh, and well done Raimundo," Wuya raised her hand and Raimundo was pulled into her grip. He winced as her nails dug into his shoulder and she hissed in his ear. "_Your_ plan went _perfectly_."

Chase glared daggers at Raimundo. "_You_!" his voice was almost reptilian, Cold and dark.

"No! I swear I'm not with them any-" Rai's defense was ignored. And Wuya spared no time in her opportunity to end her long time enemy.

"Attack!"

Two jungle cats lunged at Chase from the sides. He managed to kick one away while catching the other and throwing it into a cat trying to attack him from behind.

He was keeping up a good defense, but more and more kept coming, Chase didn't even noticed they were pushing him back to a ledge. A large tiger took its chance and slashed its claw across Chase's shoulder and sent him falling down the cliff.

"No!" Raimundo finally pulled out of Wuya's grip and started flying toward the Cliffside; A few cats notice him and easily swatted him like a fly, he flew into a rock and slid to the floor unconscious.

Wuya smirked. She'd deal with her rouge apprentice later, for the moment she only thought of ending Chase Young. She went to the edge of the cliff where Chase had fallen. He lay at the bottom, clutching his bloody shoulder in pain as he struggled to his feet. "Yes! Today he shall finally fall!"

Katnappe slid down the cliff with a dozen jungle cats behind her and lunge at Chase. She left a deep claw mark on his cheek before Chase manages to toss her into Jack as he reached the bottom of the cliff. Chase realized he couldn't win the fight with his injured shoulder, so he took his chance to run down the path and try to find a way back to the temple.

Katnappe pulled herself up slightly and went red when she realized she was on top of Jack, he went a way more visible shade when he tried to sit up and put their faces mere centimeters apart. After what felt like an eternity they heard Wuya screeching in anger at them. "Don't just sit there! Get him you fools'!"

Jack shoved Katnappe off him and hit a button on his watch. "Jack Bots- ATTACK!" a dozen bronze robots flew out of nowhere and after Chase. Despite his injury Chase easily avoids the attacks and destroys the robots. Jack watched as the last of his robots blew up and Chase vanished around a corner. "No fair!"

Chase was losing both blood and energy. He wouldn't last much longer if he didn't get away from his pursuers. He continued to run until he finally saw it. The dame, a basic pileup of logs set between to mountains close to the temple. It would be hard but he didn't have much choice. Wuya and her forces rounded the corner and were gaining quickly.

Chase clenched his teeth in pain as he struggled to climb the loose path. A few logs fell as he climbed and kept the cats from trying to come after him. He slipped a few times, but manages to hold on.

Raimundo had come to and was frantically searching the mountain when he came to the ledge and saw Chase climbing the dame. "Chase!"

Wuya looked up and saw Raimundo on the mountain. He was so close to Chase that he could easily kill him with one wind blast. She smiled with glee at the thought. "Now, Raimundo, crush him!"

Raimundo ignored her and tried to climb down the logs, climbing down was harder than climbing up, so he had to shuffle along carefully. Wuya clenched her fist. "Fool! I said crush him!"

Chase stopped to catch his breath, he was weak… _Very _weak.

Jack felt an idea climb into his mind. Chase was too injured to even climb anymore. Maybe… he could take him. Actually defeat Chase Young! And finally show up Raimundo!

He didn't need to be convinced. Jack stepped forward. "I'll do it Wuya!" he summoned a robot that gave him the Monkey Staff. He took it and instantly started jumping and swinging up the logs like...well a monkey.

Jack quickly gained on Chase, only a few feet behind him. Chase saw him and began climbing again as fast as he could. Raimundo was too focused on his footing to notice Jack. _Finally, it's my time to be the best. _

Jack leaped forward and landed a harsh kick on Chases face. Wuya grinned wickedly as she saw Chase stumble back from the blow. But he didn't stay down, before Jack could land another hit Chase kicked him square in the gut and sent him falling down the dame.

Jack rolled down the logs until one snapped under his weight and trapped him in place. Raimundo heard the crash and finally looked to see Jack struggling to get free. Despite himself Rai still, sort of, considered Jack a friend. He had grown up with Jack; he couldn't just leave him trapped like that.

Rai glanced at Chase to see him climb the rest of the way up the dame onto the mountain opposite him. Without thinking his actions through, Rai flew into the air to get to get to Jack. What he hadn't thought of was the sudden gust of wind sending an avalanche of logs down the dame and toward Jack.

"Jack!" Katnappe and Raimundo called in unison.

He looked up in time to see the pile of logs coming toward him and only had time to let out a scream before he was buried in the rubble.

There was a silence; the first thing to break it was the sound of the wind as Raimundo landed at the base of the dame. He quickly started trying to move the logs when the invisible force tossed him into a wall, and Wuya ran to the reckage looked for any sign of the fellow heylin.

Raimundo pulled himself to his feet and stood silently with Katnappe and the jungle cats, until Wuya stopped searching. She grabbed something out of the rubble and turned to the crowd, she was staring with disbelieving and…sad…eyes, at the object in her hands… the Monkey Staff.

Katnappe gasped and ran to Wuya's side and gently took the staff from her. She stared at it for a moment then hugged it to her like a lost doll. "Jack…" she began to sob slightly and Wuya placed a hand on a log as one might a headstone. The jungle cats hung their heads in a moment of silence. And Raimundo stared in shock. This couldn't be happening. This wasn't real. But it was…

Jack was gone.

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><p><strong>Authors Note: Hey people :)<strong>

**I'd just like to thank you all for your patience and hope you all like the new chapter.**

**stay tune for the next!**


	21. What Now?

Chapter 21

Kimiko was worried. It was getting late, and Raimundo and her dad still weren't back. She decided to wait for them at the gate and for a while she just sat on the front steps, staring at nothing.

"Kimiko?" she turned to see Clay leaning against the wall staring at her with concern. "Oh… Hey." Omi walked up to them and sat beside Kim with Dojo on his shoulders. "Is something the matter Kimiko?"

She gave a small smile to them then turned to the fields. "It's getting late. Shouldn't they be back by now?" the boys exchanged a look, and then Clay spoke. "I don't know Kimi, but listen you got nothing to worry about. I'm sure they'll be back soon…"

Kimiko nodded to him with an appreciative look, and then returned her gaze to the horizon. Not a few moments later the four heard a wounded moan and the sound of shuffling footsteps before a figure appeared on the pathway limping toward the temple.

"Dad..?" Kimiko stood and looked closer at the approaching figure, it was in fact Chase young. He held his bloody shoulder with his good arm and seemed to be struggling to move forward and keep his balance. "Dad!" Kimiko ran to his side, Clay right behind her. "Dojo, go get help!"

The dragon finally snapped out of his shocked state. "Huh… Oh! Help! Right! Going!" he jumped off Omi's shoulder and slithered off into the temple.

Kimiko ran to her dad's side and tried to help him so he wouldn't fall. Omi was shocked, he didn't think anyone could ever get the best of Chase, but someone clearly had. Omi's eyes darted between Chase and Clay, and a silent question was asked. Where's Raimundo?

Clay helped Kimiko support Chase and they managed to get him to the front of the temple before Chase stumbled forward on his own and leaned against the wall. Omi was the first to find his voice. "Master Chase, what has happened to you?"

Chase tried to move into the temple while leaning against the wall, but turned to the three monks staring at him with complete fear and concern. "W…Wuya..! ...Raimundo...Ambush…" with that short utterance Chase coughed up a string of blood and fell forward.

Clay managed to catch him before he hit the ground, "Don't worry partner, we got ya." Clay draped one of Chases arms over his shoulders so he could lean on him, Omi tried to do the same but his height made it a moot point and he ended up just holding his arm up. The two then walked the now unconscious Chase to the infirmary.

Kimiko stayed frozen by the front wall, it wasn't with fear for her father's life, or what the heylin could be planning, there was only one thing on her mind now…

_Rai..._

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><p>The destroyed pile up of logs that had once been the dame was now a tomb. All who were there were stricken with grief and morning for their fallen...warrior.<p>

Wuya wouldn't admit it, never, but she was truly crushed over the loss of the boy genius. He had been somewhat of a son to her, not the one she had always wanted mind you, but he was still important to her same as Raimundo had been…

_Raimundo! _

Wuya suddenly remembered the traitor. Her grief turned to furry. She clenched her fist and turned to the boy standing silently among the jungle cats. "YOU!" Rai looked up just as a blast of green fire hit him and sent him flying backwards into a mountain.

Rai slowly struggled to his feet, breathing deeply and glaring at the heylin witch. "_What-have-you- DONE?_" Wuya hissed, glaring down at her former apprentice.

Raimundo's eyes went between Wuya and the destroyed dame, his chest aced and throat swelled with guilt. "I … It was an accident. I was trying to help… I didn't mean to, I just…" he stopped mid-sentence as something dawned on him. Yes he had loosened the logs, but it hadn't been on purpose. He was trying to help, he hadn't meant for this to happen.

Rai clenched his fist and screamed right in Wuya's face. "_This wasn't my fault_!" Wuya stepped back but continued to scream down at the boy. "This is _all_ your fault! You had plenty of opportunities to complete your mission. You did nothing. And because of that Jack is dead. You've betrayed the heylin! Betrayed Hannibal!" Rai refused to be fazed by the words. But the mention of the evil bean sent a new wave of anger through him. "I don't want anything _to do with him_!"

Wuya clenched her teeth and stepped forward so she towered over Raimundo, "No matter where you go they'll never accept you. You're a doomed outcast with blood on your hands."

Raimundo stepped back away from her but was backed right against a wall. "No..."

Wuya's eyes were bloodshot. Either from furry, or being on the verge of tears. "You are responsible for Jack's death! You've killed your fellow heylin! You've killed your brother!"

He tried to block out her words but he couldn't. Guilt seeped into him and brought a tear from his eye. "_NO_!" Rai through his arms down and a tornado formed around him. Wuya was thrown back by the sudden blast and looked back at Raimundo just as he shot into the air and flew off.

"Wow… you guys would miss me that much?"

Everyone in the clearing turned in shock and dropped their jaws. Floating down from the other side of the dame was a Jack Bot, and it was carrying none other than Jack Spicer. Black eyed and with a broken arm, but very much alive.

As soon as the robot placed him on the ground he was wrapped in a tight hug by Katnappe. She pulled away smiling but then punched his broken arm. "You idiot, don't ever scare me like that again!" Wuya walked up to the two and stared at Jack as if he were a ghost. "How did you survive?"

Jack cradled his wounded arm and gestured to the Jack Bot behind him. "I programed this robot to keep me out of imminent danger, when the logs started falling it kept them from crushing me till it dug us out on the other side."

Wuya looked between the dame and Jack, seeming mildly impressed. "... Very clever Jack. Welcome back." with that she started to walk away, the jungle cats behind her.

Katnappe seemed to blush a little. "Hey, you, um, dropped this." She held up the Monkey Staff and Jack beamed with delight. Happily taking it from her he activated the Wu and ran after Wuya, Katnappe right behind him.

When he finally caught up to her he stopped running and started using the staff as a crutch. "So, what now Wuya?" She didn't look at him; instead she glared at the distance. "Chase has knocked me down one time to many! Now he's taken Raimundo from the heylin." Katnappe stopped running on the other side of Wuya to Jack. "So what do we do?"

The witch though a long time before speaking, "If today accomplished anything, Chase is weakened. Now is a perfect time to launch an attack on the temple."

"You sure?" Jack motioned to himself with his good arm. "I'm not exactly in prize fighting condition here." Katnappe raised an eyebrow at him. "When are you ever?" Wuya continued before Jack could protest. "Believe me. Now is the time! It will be our victory over the temple at last! And revenge on _all_ who allies themselves with it."

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><p><strong>Authors Note: Ha! i couldnt kill off Jack. i dont have the heart too.<strong>

**im sorry this took a while to upload. the internet went out again...**

**the story only has so many chapters left :) so be expecting epicness! **

**also there will be music next chap. so it could take a little while.**

**thanks for reading :)**


	22. Not One of Us

Chapter 22

Chase had long since regained consciousness and told everyone of Raimundo's betrayal. All the monks accepted it immediately. Not surprised in the least. Clay and Omi understood that Rai wasn't on their side anymore but they didn't think that he would ever do anything like this. And Kimiko… she was at Rai's defense from start to finish. She refused to accept that Raimundo could betray the temple or her.

Everyone left to return to their posts after Chase's story, leaving just Dojo, Kimiko, and Chase in the infirmary. Kimiko sat beside her dad and continued in her protest, but Chase knew what he had seen. And he wasn't going to let Rai step one foot in the temple or anywhere near Kimiko ever again.

Dojo finished wrapping Chase's arm and smiled brightly while packing up the medical supplies. "Okay, we're all done. And no worries Chase, It's nothing serious. With your healing powers you should be good to go in a day at the most." Chase nodded to the dragon. "Thank you, Dojo." He stood up, grabbing his side in pain but still managed to walk to the window without nearly as much effort as it had taken him earlier.

Kimiko watched him with sad eyes. Chase was almost completely wrapped in gauze that covered 5 good gashes and a nearly impaled shoulder. His cheek had a claw mark that almost had to be stitched up should it had been any deeper. "Rai couldn't have done this…" she whispered to herself. "He wouldn't do this…"

Suddenly Clay and Omi burst into the room, exausted from running half way across the temple. Omi paused to catch his breath and Clay struggled to speak. "Chase… Rai's out in front of the temple!"

"Rai!" Kimiko jumped to her feet and ran for the door. But Chase somehow appeared in her way and blocked the exit. He looked at the boys in a way that could be clearly classified as a furious father. "Keep her away from _him_!"

"Yes sir." Clay and Omi bowed, Chase grabbed his shirt robe and stormed out of the infirmary. When he reached the courtyard he could see Raimundo walking up the stone path that led to the front gate, Chase stood under the archway so he was blocking the entrance.

The entire front of the temple was surrounded- or maybe guarded- by monks. Some sending glares toward the approaching boy, others holding bows and arrows at their sides ready to fire, some both.

This made Raimundo uneasy, but he continued to walk forward, determined to explain himself to the injured warrior glaring down at him from the front gate.

Kimiko had gotten by the guys and made it to the courtyard, they caught up with her however and made sure she stayed with them at the back of the crowd, and nowhere near the gate. They could hear some monks in the crowd mumbling to each other. Things like 'Why has he returned?' 'Heylin never change' and 'No different than Hannibal' it made them all uneasy, Kimiko most of all.

Dojo appeared on Omi's shoulder and glared at Raimundo. "After everything I did for that kid he goes and pulls this! Why I adu! Let me at em!" He handed his tail to Omi. "Here hold me back." Omi took Dojo's tail and the dragon attempted to fly forward with claws out stretched. "Let me at em! Let me at em!" Omi shrugged and let go of Dojo and he sped through the air at top speed.

Clay winced as the small dragon made impact with a tree. "Uh, Omi you weren't supposed to let him go." Omi looked at Clay confused. "But he said to." Kimiko rolled her eyes and sighed at the little monk. "It's a figure of speech, Omi." The little monk blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh ..."

Raimundo stopped at the foot of the stairs and swallowed nervously as hundreds of eyes glared at him, none more unnerving then Chase's. Rai's resolve began to shrink and he couldn't remember what he had planned to say. He frantically searched his thoughts for something to say when Chase finally broke the silence in a sharp demand. "_Why have you returned_?"

Rai breathed deeply and took a single step forward. "Chase, I swear I had nothing to do with…"

"You are no longer welcome here!" The sudden reply made Raimundo shrink slightly but he stood upright and determined. "…Please. Let me explain…"

"There is nothing to explain boy. You have already done enough."

"Rai!" Kimiko ran forward and started to push through the crowd, Omi grabbed her hand, which she let catch fire and the little monk released her with a yelp. She pushed through the monks till she could finally see Raimundo and Chase. Both turned to her with shocked expressions.

"Kim!" without thinking Raimundo summoned the wind, lifted himself over the gate, and started running toward Kimiko. He wasn't even close to her when a dozen arrows were sent flying and impaled the ground just before his feet. Rai jumped back and looked at the arrows, then the army of monks preparing to fire at him, and finally at Kimiko.

He didn't have time, or the ability to say everything he wanted to, so he looked right into her eye and sent a silent message, admitting all his love, explaining every false motive and every changed perspective, begging with all his might for her to believe him.

Kimiko nearly burst into tears, she heard him. And she loved him so much that nothing that had happened made her feel any different. She forgave him. But before she could take another step toward him she felt a strong hand take a firm grip on her arm.

She turned to Clay and frantically started pulling at his arm, trying to free herself. "Clay, let me go!" Clay loosened his grip slightly, but didn't let go. "Kimi, I'm sorry but-" the rest of his sentence was cut off by a reptilian roar.

Raimundo had to once again jump back away from Kimiko, instead of arrows Chase stood in his dragon form, baring his fangs and ready to attack. Clay released Kimiko and she started to move forward. "no, dad, please, you have to listen to-" before she could finish Chase glared over his shoulder at her and growled warningly.

Everyone took a step back, and Chase returned to human. He glared down at Raimundo. "You said I should judge you for your actions, your actions today against the Xiaolin can only have one outcome. Raimundo of the Heylin, you are hence exiled from this temple!"

"_NO!"_

**Deception, Disgrace,**

**Heylin as plain as a scar on his face,**

Before Raimundo could try to move, he heard every archer in range of him take aim. He could have blocked them, but then they'd rebound everywhere and hit everyone in the courtyard…including Kimiko. The Xiaolin already thought he was an honor less scum, why prove them right?

He looked at Kimiko one last time, she had tears in her eyes and looked like she wanted nothing else but to run to him but couldn't. Rai gave her one last meaningful look before he summoned the wind and flew into the sky over the temple, hundreds of arrows following him upward.

_**Deception (an outrage) Disgrace (for shame)**_

**He asked for trouble the moment he came,**

Kimiko watched in horror as her love tried to out run the arrows overhead, all around her were the angry, mumbled words of the monks. 'Traitor' they called him. 'An outrage to let him get away so easily.' she could feel her anger burning up inside and fire licked at her fingertips. But probably the words that cut the deepest were from those she considered the closest.

"I think he was asking for it…"

Kimiko snapped around to face Clay; he was talking to Omi who now stood beside him, looking up at the sky. "It would have been better for us all if he had not tried to pull this act on us."

_**Deception (an outrage) Disgrace (for shame)**_

**Heylin as plain as a scar on his face, **_**(see you later agitator)**_

_**Deception (an outrage) Disgrace (for shame)**_

**He asked for trouble the moment he came, **_**(see you later agitator)**_

Raimundo continued to try to out run the arrows, but he was beginning to loose altitude, he finally tuned in midair and shot a blast of wind at the flock of arrows and sent them toward the mountains.

He hovered a moment, and nearly got fried by a blast of lightning that shot inches away from him. But the thing, the lightning had come from the ground. Raimundo looked at the temple far beneath him and could see shimmering objects in the hands of a few monks.

Sheng gong wu.

Whether that had been the Eye of Dashi, or the Thorn of Thunderbolts or whatever didn't matter, what did, there were more shots coming. Raimundo quickly took off back in the direction he had come, the hated whispers of the crowd below whistling in his ears beside the wind.

**Torn by Grief, Trained in Hate,**

**Helpless to defy his fate,**

**Let him run, let him live,**

**But we'll not forget what we cannot forgive,**

Every cruel word he heard pierced him where the blasts of lighting and magic and arrows missed. '_Wuya's assassin', 'A Heylin puppet', 'Honor-less coward'_, and no matter how he denied it he knew they were right.

After dodging so many attacks in the air, and rising and dropping in altitude countless times, Raimundo landed on the pathway as far from the temple as he could to catch his breath, after a moment he dared look back at the Xiaolin for any more coming attacks.

**And he is not one of us,**

**He has never been one of us,**

**He is not part of us,**

**Not our kind,**

Many of the monks had moved out to the front wall and stood ready to fire again, but it was clear Raimundo was too far out of range for the archers, maybe even for the wu holders. But they still didn't show any sign of lowering their guard. They wouldn't give even the slightest gap that the Heylin could use.

Kimiko stood where she had been. She could just barely see Raimundo at the end of the path, so close and so far at the same time, and with an army between them.

As soon as she saw him turn back she tried once again to run to him, but was once again stopped by her fellow dragons. She tried to hold his gaze like he had hers, to cry to him silently, but Chase stepped in the path of the gate, and she could no longer see her love.

**Someone once lied to us,**

**Now we're not so blind,**

Chase glared at Raimundo with hatred he had not felt in century's, his dream had been right, the boy wasn't to be trusted, he was no different than the cursed bean who had lied to him so long ago.

Raimundo stood watching the temple for what felt like an eternity, even spotting Kimiko for the briefest moment before Chase appeared between them. At that point he turned his back to the Xiaolin and jumped into the sky with sad eyes locked forward. The clouds shifted and changed as the wind carried him up. One in particular made him burn with hatred.

It looked like a bean, with a wide, cruel, and crooked smile.

**For if you even knew what he's done,**

**Then you'll know that he'll never be one of us,**

**He is not welcome back,**

With a swift motion of his hand the clouds formation dispersed and Raimundo flew forward with tears welling in his eyes. He flew far and fast, not even thinking, just flying and flying, until he couldn't anymore.

He finally dropped in the hills near the mountains; he couldn't help but look back at the temple once more. It was barely visible, the monks were nothing but black dots among the cream and blue smear on the mountain side.

_**Deception, Disgrace,**_

..**_.._**

_**Deception, Disgrace,**_

As Raimundo became a speck on the pink and gold sky, the monks lowered their weapons and began to move back into the temple one by one.

Kimiko kept her eyes on Rai for the longest time, Clay and Omi had released her and she stood in the center of the courtyard like a statue, still, and silent, and cold. She didn't even know how she was still standing. A single tear dropped from her eye before she hung her head so she might be able to put the thoughts of Rai from her mind.

Chase remained standing at the gate, not willing to let his guard down even as any sign of Raimundo vanished into the distance. He didn't notice at all that Master Fung had remained at the back of the crowd during the entire scene, and now watched both Raimundo and Kimiko with sad eyes. With a sigh of worry and disappointment the older monk returned to the meditation hall in hopes of receiving council from Dashi.

_**Deception...**_

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><p><strong>Authors note: I am sorry. This took way longer to work on then I wanted it to. But between school, and friends, and family, my birthday, and a whole lot of other junk, I didn't have any time to work on this! also the song took me a while, and I still didn't get anywhere with it. :( <strong>

**So in conclusion, I'm sorry, and enjoy.**

**i hope i can put the next chapter up soon :) **


	23. Love Will Find A Way

Chapter 23

Chase stood at the front gate even long after the sun had set, refusing to take his eyes off the mountain where Raimundo had flown off to.

As everyone else flooded back into the temple Kimiko tried her best to sort through her emotions, many coming from the look in Raimundo's eyes when he had looked at her. They were just so full of remorse and compassion and honesty that she knew he was telling the truth. Kimiko ran to Chase's side without further hesitation. "Dad…" He didn't even glance at her, but she stood up straighter and continued. "Please, Raimundo would never do anything to- !"

"You will not be allowed to leave the temple without the other dragons from now one." Kimiko froze at Chase's sudden command. It sank in quickly and her defense turned to frustration. "No, listen to me! It's not what you-"

"He was using you to get to me, Kimiko!"

"No he wasn't! Rai loves me..! For me!"

"Because you are my daughter!" Chase finally faced Kimiko with a stern face, and slight anger in his voice. "You are not to leave the temple. You are to remain in my sight, and away from him!" Kimiko once again felt anger toward her father, and stood straight and un-wavered. "You don't know him like I do!"

Chase walked through the gate, as he spoke, eyes on the stars beginning to show in the sky. "All I need to know is that he's carrying on Hannibal's legacy… and I must carry on Dashi's."

"You will never _be_ Dashi!"

Kimiko's words hit Chase like sledge hammer. He turned and stared at her. She still stood under the gate, face and eyes red, she glared at him for a short moment before she grasped what she had just said and turned to run to her room. She shoved the curtain aside and collapsed on her matt, sobbing.

Clay and Omi had seen Kimiko run to her room and fallowed to check on her. As soon as Clay heard her crying he felt they should give her space, Omi however didn't think anything about letting her sort by herself, and immediately went up to Kim's room and knocked on the wall beside the curtain. "Kimiko, what is the matter?"

Kimiko sniffed and glanced at Omi's shadow on her curtain, but didn't respond. "Kimi…" Clay said cautiously. "…listen Kimi, I know you're upset about Rai, but we were only trying to do what was best for-" Kimiko's voice cracked as she buried her face in her pillow. "Just go away…"

Clay took the hint. "Alright… we'll see you at dinner then I guess…" he waited a moment for an answer, but didn't get one. So with that, the tall cowboy and small monk left their female dragon alone.

Kimiko sat up and whipped her eyes, and saw something shinning in the corner of the room. She reached for it and closed her hand around the cool metal.

It was the Tigers Pride. Kimiko remembered tossing it so carelessly into her room on that day that seemed so long ago. The day Rai had joined the temple... Kimiko sat there a moment, near tears once again at the thought of Raimundo, but she pulled herself together and came to a decision.

Kimiko slid the wu into her pocket and stormed out of her cubical, then hesitantly stuck her head out of the building and looked around the yard for any sigh of the others. As soon as she was sure they weren't around, Kimiko sprinted across the courtyard and toward the gardens. She didn't stop till she reached the wall then jumped over it, landing gracefully on the other side and began running again.

She didn't know exactly how or where, but Kimiko was going to find Raimundo. She didn't care how far she would go or how long it would take; she would go to the ends of the earth to find him.

She didn't even realize where she was going till she was almost there, but as soon as she did Kimiko started running faster. Of course he would be there! The clearing by the stream Rai had taken her to the night before!

She all but jumped over the last hill as she reached the clearing, but her emotions just as suddenly crashed down on her, there wasn't anyone in the clearing. "Raimundo?" she looked around the tall grass a moment, and glanced up into the tree but still no sign of him.

Kimiko sank against the tree and sighed deeply. "…oh, Rai…" a cold wind past her and Kimiko tried to light a fire in her hands, when it appeared though it was faint and easily blown out by another breeze. She tried a few more times but it was still weak. Her flames were weak… as if the thing that gave her spark wasn't there anymore.

She could see clouds slowly moving toward the valley. Grey and angry against the calm and blue night. Kimiko didn't know how she would find Rai in the coming storm, or even get out of it herself, but she knew the others would find out she was missing and come looking for her, and no way was she going to stay this close to the temple, or dragged back without Rai there with her. She took one last look over the clearing and even a glance to the temple before she hopped across the stream and started through the fields aimlessly and in her own thoughts…

**In this changing world**

**One we've fought to known**

**We never need to stand through it alone**

Kimiko walked through the fields silently for a while, eyes down and mind swirling with thought of Rai, suddenly two birds shot out of the tall grass inches in front of her. She took a moment to watch them, one was white and blue, the other red and gold, they circled each other before vanishing together into the night sky.

Kimiko couldn't help but smile at their beauty, but then drop once more for their carelessness. Kimiko had learned over her life that things in the world are never set in stone, some things you have no choice to let go, other things you have to fight for. But no matter what ones battle is, they never have to face it by themselves.

The two birds reminded her of this, so free and with nothing to care about then their own lives and yet they flew together, so different and yet they stay with one another.

**They can shape this world**

**We will have our own**

**To them I'm not as brave or strong or smart**

**But somewhere in my burning heart**

Kimiko wished she could be like the birds. Not a care for the world she had been told to protect since birth, but to have her own life, her own world, and maybe even have him there with her.

No matter how hard she had worked in training, or what her masters told her, she still knew. The whispers, the judgment, the doubt. The other monks didn't see what she could do or accomplish, all because she was a girl, even Clay and Omi had judged her at first…everyone did. Even Rai. But he was different. Somewhere in her core she knew that he knew everything she was capable of. Everything she was, he knew somehow.

**I know love can save the day**

**Wherever I may know, it's my own**

**If you stand there beside me**

Not somehow, he knew because he loved her. He was a part of her she could not be herself without. Without Rai the world was at its darkest, full of greed and hatred and loneliness, and that wasn't_ her_ world. It was _theirs_. But she still had to live in it, still had to fight for what piece of it was hers.

It was a grim realization, but the silver lining was that Raimundo could share in her world, could make the piece all she needed to be happy, as long as they fought for it together.

**Like life growing day by day**

**Somehow we'll pull through**

**Now that I have you**

**Love can save the day…**

Her thoughts gave Kimiko new found drive as she found herself climbing the mountain not far from where Rai had flown off too. The night wind howled and she felt her legs practically freeze into place. She crouched beside a rock facing the wind and tried to warm up before continuing, attempting to once again light her hands, but to even less affect then before. So she sat and hugged herself, waiting for the wind to die down.

Kimiko was about to continue when she spotted something swaying in the now lighter breeze. A small orange and yellow tulip, the last remaining in a patch, desperately clinging to the ground not a few inches away. Kimiko watched the fire colored flower in awe, captivated by its will to press on in such harsh condition despite itself.

But then again, she figured, that was life. Always changing, compromising, doing what it needs to flourish and grow. Heck, that's what she was doing now. Giving up all she had for the sake of something new to her and hoping to make something out of it. Rai was all she needed to live her life happily.

Suddenly Kimiko heard something move behind her, and the breeze picked up again just slightly, she jumped to her feet and turned smiling, expecting to see the one she had been looking for. But her heart sank. Nothing but a bush in the wind…

**I was so afraid**

**Till I realized**

**Love is never wrong**

**And so it never dies**

Raimundo hid on the Cliffside just above Kimiko, watching her sit on a rock in disappointment from not finding him. In truth it he had been about to approach her. He wanted to with all his heart. But he was held back by something almost as strong as his love. His fear.

What if Kimiko hated him? Believed he was responsible for the attack on her father?

_Then why would she be all the way out here looking for you if she didn't care?_

The little voice in the back off his head startled him, and suddenly the urge to be near Kim started to grow, and the fear and guilt slowly faded as new hope glowed through him.

**There's a bright new world**

**Burning in her eyes**

Kimiko felt another breeze go past her, but this one was…different. Instead of cold and strong, it was warm and gentle, like it was trying to comfort her. She once again heard something move behind her, her heart fluttered and she prayed to Dashi with all her might that it was true.

Raimundo smiled as Kimiko turned and saw him standing on the cliff above her, a small tear appeared in her eye as a sweet and grateful smile spread across her face.

**And if only they could see it too**

**The bright new days I see with you**

They stood there a moment, taking in the relief that they were no longer apart, eyes never leaving each other until they realized there wasn't anything keeping them restrained anymore.

Within seconds Rai flew down to Kimiko, who ran to meet him, throwing her arms around him before he even touched the ground. Rai hovered just above the ground with Kim in his arms, each holding on as if they were afraid they would die if they let go.

Why couldn't they see how happy they were? How much better off they could be if they just stopped fighting?

**They'd know, love can save the day**

**Wherever we may know, it's our own**

**If we stand up together**

They loosened their hold on one another enough to face each other. Raimundo leaned in to kiss her, but Kimiko suddenly ducked out of his arms and started running down the mountain, smiling playfully back at him. He caught on quickly and couldn't help but laugh as he flew down after her.

Is anyone had seen them, they would probably have thought it strange for two teenagers to be running around like children in the middle of the night, but they probably didn't know what love was. It makes you feel like you're flying through a world only occupied by two people. Like everything in your life is perfect because of this one other person. That's how these two felt as they chased each other into the tall grassy plains.

**Like life growing day by day**

**Somehow we'll pull through**

**Now that I have you**

**Love can save the day**

Raimundo finally caught up to Kimiko, and had a great idea. In a flash he vanished, leaving Kimiko looking around the field wondering what he was planning.

She got her answer when she felt something brush her cheek, making her jump. She turned to glare at Rai for sneaking up on her, but felt something tucked behind her ear, she took it out and smiled brightly. It was the fire colored tulip she had seen on the mountain.

Rai took the flower from her and brushed it back into her hair while taking her hand in his. They smiled at each other for a short moment, and then finally they couldn't take another moment apart.

**I know love can save the day….**

Without another second hesitation they closed the gap between them. Both can't believe the surge of warmth and power in the kiss. Nothing else in the world mattered, nothing else needed to exist, as long as they had this kiss.

A need for air and nothing else finally compelled them to part. They held each other in their arms, standing in the warm breeze about the field. Rai leaned in and placed his forehead against Kimiko's, both content with the moment of peace.

Suddenly the wind picked up around them. Forming a small circle, the looked around at the slightly visible breeze and could see bits of color glowing in around them. At first glance you would think it was just fireflies. But it was more than that.

Kimiko realized that the tips of her fingers, previously frozen by a lack of response from her element, were now covered in small flames wrapped around her hand. That wasn't what startled her though, both her hands were ablaze, and one was intertwined with Rai's. But… he wasn't burning.

Rai stared at his own free hand, which appeared to be laced with thickened air. He then held up their intertwined hands and smiled. The two elements danced with each other, neither overpowering the other. They were in a perfect balance.

Kimiko stared in awe, while Rai let out a small chuckle. "Hey, check it out. We are one."

Kim was taken aback by his words and dropped her hand as a memory returned to her. "What?"

Raimundo didn't seem to notice her sudden thoughts, he felt absolutely wonderful. Like he could do anything, go anywhere, and hey, why couldn't he?

He took Kimiko's hand again, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Come on, let's ditch this place." He smiled brightly as he took the smaller girl in his arms and swung her around. "We'll run away together! Forget the Xiaolin and Heylin, we can start over. Just you and me Kimi."

Kimiko returned his smile; she loved seeing him like this. So full of joy and hope. It had been awhile since she'd seen that look on anyone.

If only they could figure it out for themselves….but she knew they wouldn't. They needed someone to show them. And those someone's were them.

"Rai, we need to go back…" Rai's face dropped, and then stared at Kim with confusion and probably concern for her mental state. "You're joking right? But were finally together Kim."

Kimiko shook her head; she had expected this kind of reaction. But she would need to get through to him. "Rai, I'm a Xiaolin warrior…that's something I can't just quite. You know Wuya's going to try something while Chase is wounded…If we run away…they'll keep fighting until there's nothing left."

Rai's face was unreadable; he walked a few feet back toward the mountain, just staring at the ground. And not saying anything. Finally he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I have a plan…but I need your help…" he stared, unsure, into her pleading eyes. Then turned and looked across the field at the gathering storm clouds. This was _not_ going to be fun.

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><p><strong>Authors note: I HAVE RETURNED! <strong>

**for those of you who actually read these notes, i am sososososososo sooooooo sorry! :( **

**to explain the lateness of this chap. basically i was both swarmed with last minute school stuff, and my internet was out for about 3 months, that left me _alot_ of email to answer. i barley had time to remember the story. **

**for your patience i thank you. and promis to try finishing up the story soon.**


	24. Discovery

Chapter 24

At Wuya's volcano lair, said witch, as well as a good fifty jungle cats poured out onto the edge of the cliff side. Wuya's eyes instantly fell to the temple in the distance, imagining the whole thing in flames.

She turned as both Katnappe and a fully healed Jack appeared on either side of her. Wuya had to pause at Jack to admire her work. Her magic had erased any indication of his near death mere hours before. She was truly a force to be recon with.

"Is everything prepared Jack?" Wuya said with a cat-like purr.

Jack grinned widely and produced a watch around his wrist dawned with a new red detonator button. "Katnappe set the bombs an hour ago. Just say the word and I'll blow them sky high."

"Good. Let's go pay the Xiaolin monks a visit shall we." A crack of thunder rang through the sky and the Heylin army swarmed down the mountain side toward the temple, a mass of black storm clouds close behind.

* * *

><p>Clay and Omi, soaking wet, stood in the hall before their rooms. The food they had brought now sat on the floor of Kimiko's room, forgotten, as the owner was clearly not around. Clay leaned against the wall, ringing out his hat, clearly worried for the fire dragon. Meanwhile Omi (literally) walked circles up and down the room. "I cannot believe that Kimiko has once again given us the squeeze!"<p>

"Slip." Clay corrected halfheartedly. Omi stopped his pacing on the ceiling and looked accusingly down at Clay, pointing a finger in his face. "I blame you for this Clay!"

The cowboy placed his hat back on his head and crossed his arms defiantly. "We'll why in tarnation is that?" Omi fell from the ceiling and landed like a cat in front of Clay, still glaring but having lost a clear advantage in intimidation he might have had from the ceiling. "I believe taking our eyes off of her was your idea." Clay rolled his eyes at the small monk and tried to keep his calm. "She was upset, and you can't blame her. But how was I s'pose to know she'd run off?"

"A true Xiaolin dragon knows everything!"

"Then how come _you_ didn't know to watch her?"

Omi and Clay were now in a glaring contest, but at that last comment Omi ran into his room to return with a blue ball in his hands. "Watch this! Orb of Tanami- Ice!"

Clay jumped from his spot on the wall, falling through the doors to his room, as his previous location became incased in a layer of ice. Omi's smug grin was short lived as Clay jumped out of his room with a gray brown sash tied around his waist. "Oh, yeah? Third arm sash- Earth!"

Outside Chase walked calmly toward the dragons' courters, wanting to check on Kimiko, when a large rock knocked a good sized hole in the wall that almost instantly was covered in ice. Chase ran there instantly, pausing in the doorway…then slapped his forehead.

Two teenage boys using ancient relics of magic in a petty argument had not been what he was expecting. Neither had noticed him yet, so Chase simply leaned against the wall and waited.

"Take that you jerky!"

"You're looking for either 'jerk' or 'turkey.'"

"That makes no sense!"

"What are you two doing?"

The two dragons practically jumped out of their skin. Quickly hiding the wu behind their backs and attempting to look casual among the destroyed room to their thousand year old master. Both stole a glance over at the only room that they hadn't scratched. One of them had to tell him eventually.

"An excellent question Chase Young," Omi spoke up trying to hide his nerves in a large fake smile. "May we ask you one?"

Chase raised an eyebrow, "Go on."

Clay continued. "Well…uh… hypothetically speaking, let's say…there's this fella…"

"…not a Xiaolin warrior of course…" Omi added quickly.

"Yeah…um…and his daughter...kinda…vanished."

"_Kimiko's gone?!_"

The only thing that could match Chase's yelling was the girlish scream that followed soon after. That scream belonging to the little green dragon that flew into the room and attached himself to Chase's arm in terror.

"Guys! There's a large amount of Heylin baddies heading straight for us!"

"Then we have no time to waste." All eyes turned to Master Fung as he appeared in the doorway. "Omi, Clay, gather the wu you will need."

"Yes master Fung!" The two said in unison before running toward the vault through one of the new exits in the wall.

Chase unwound Dojo from his arm and sat him down. "Dojo, you will go in search of Kimiko. I'm needed here."

"I get to sit out the fight? Don't have to tell me twice." The dragon began to slither out of the room but froze when Master Fung spoke again. "No dojo, we may need you." The dragon sank a moment before climbing onto the Master's shoulder. "So close..."

"What about Kimiko?" Fung regarded Chase and his fear for his daughter; calmly he placed a wise hand on his shoulder. "I know you are concerned. But she is not a child anymore Chase Young. You must put her out of your mind for now, and face the matter at hand."

Chase held his determination on the matter for a moment, and then sighed in defeat. "…Very well, I'll make the battle swift." With that he ran out into the rain to summon the monks, leaving Dojo and Master Fung alone in the damaged building.

Dojo looked at Fung knowingly. "You don't really need me do you?"

"In battle? …No. but Dashi would want Kimiko and Raimundo to return on their own. Keep to the skies overhead and keep an eye out for them, and let us hope Dashi is right. It is up to them now."

* * *

><p><strong>(for those who didn't see the origial message, read this, its important.) <strong>

**Authors Note,**

**To everyone who has been reading this story and patiently waiting for the next chapter, **

**First of all i'd like to say thank you so much for all the favorites, follows, and kind reviews. **

**Second I'm sorry that i havent been writing much for this, **

**but the thing is that...not only am i working on other projects, but ive sorta...moved on from the xiaolin showdown fandom. **

**DONT PANIC! THE STORY WILL BE FINISHED! **

**its just...im not sure when... i will work on it every now and again but im just not sure when i'll be uploading any new chapters. **

**i hope you all understand and maybe read some of my other stories or simply dont give up on this cuz i SWEAR i will finish this story! **

**Thank you.**


	25. War at Our Doorstep

Chapter 25

The valley that stood before the temple was alive with the promise of death.

The wind and rain crashing down on the grass to clear the battlefield for the two foes that approached. Chase and the Xiaolin Dragons stood on the front lines, even Dojo on Omi's head, a hundred yards from the temple, where Master Fung stood calmly with an army of archery armed monks positions to defend their home.

From the opposing direction came the Heylin, an army of jungle cat warriors stood ready behind Wuya and her two minions.

All was quiet save the storm as the two leaders glared at each other, Wuya with a wicked Cheshire cat grin, Chase with a scowl that didn't help hide his barely controlled worry and anger. None spoke or moved. The others scanned each other's army, Katnappe and Jack smirking at the Dragon, while Dojo proceeded to stick his tongue out at them in response.

"It ends today chase!" Wuya finally crackled, "I've dreamed of this moment for centuries."

"Huh, sounds like someone needs a hobby." Dojo mumbled to the earth and water Dragons.

Chase stepped forward into an unmovable stance. "This is your last chance Wuya. Go home."

"I _am_ home…"

With that the war began.

The Jungle cats ran around either side of their three commanders and pounced at the charging Xiaolin. Some taken out immediately by a well-aimed strike from Chase in his charge at Wuya, others hit by one of the arrows that had joined with the rain from the stormy sky, any others who had managed to get past either to attack the temple were stopped by The Two Dragons as they used any technique or Sheng Gong Wu they had to keep a barrier to push the enemy back.

At some point the cats had stopped charging and the two boys thought they may have taken them all, only to be shocked when the fallen cats stood again and morphed themselves into humans. And not just any humans, but warriors from all across the world and time, Clay couldn't help but sigh in exasperation; _of course it could never be easy_.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile coming down the mountain not far from the raging battle, two figures stopped to stare in horror at the raging battle through the curtain of rain, before rushing to move faster and hope they weren't too late.<p>

* * *

><p>Back at the battle Clay had managed to make a barrier of rock between them and the warrior cat hybrids so they could catch their breath.<p>

"There are too many! I do not know if we can defeat them!" Omi gasped regrettably between breaths.

Dojo came out from under Clay's hat again, having hidden right before the fighting, "Come on guys. Like the saying goes, 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going.' Now get out there and show em!" He said with overzealous enthusiasm.

Clay grabbed the Dragon and pulled him out from under his hat "Get out of there! And your one to talk little buddy, I don't see you fighting." He growled, as winded as Omi.

"Hey! I could hold my own out here." The lizard sized dragon protested.

Slithering out of the cowboys grasp and metaphorically stomping around the corner of the barrier, muttering something or another about taking down twenty warrior cats easy. Only to come face to face with one, turn a lovely shade of pale green and shooting into the air before he had even finished growing.

"Like I said, they _get going_!"

Clay and Omi rolled their eyes at they're retreating friend and jumped back into the fray.

* * *

><p>Raimundo and Kimiko were still a considerable distance from the battle, the fear was evident on Kimiko's face, but the wind and rain was against them and Rai didn't dare attempt to fly them. He kept a tight hold of her hand as they tried to make it across the dame, its partial collapse and the building downpour didn't help the danger. They tried to focus on getting across and down the mountain, not bothering to look up and notice a green form against the blacked sky.<p>

* * *

><p>The boys felt they were on the ropes, standing back to back and surrounded, when the warriors suddenly morphed back into their feline forms and retreated back in the direction they'd come. They didn't have long to wonder why when two figures approached each of them.<p>

"'Sup, Xiaolin losers."

"Spicer!" Omi Growled at his opponent.

"Don't forget _me-ow_."

"Katnappe…" Clay half growled half groaned to himself. Why'd his opponent have to be a girl!

"Where's your little fire girl?"

Both boys glared death at the cat girl.

_Maybe I CAN fight a girl this once…_

"Jack bots attack!" Both Omi and Clay kept their form of back to back as they struggled against a dozen Jack bots and Katnappe. Hoping Chase was at least close to ending the battle.

He wasn't.

With the Dragons occupied Wuya ordered every cat to swarm Chase, who managed to fight off a good amount but as long as he refused to change he wouldn't stand a chance. Wuya refused to risk that, "Young, your mine!" the cats cleared a path as she approached, while ones on the other side continued to attack and distract Chase. He was too overwhelmed to feel the danger until a blast of energy hit him in the back and blasted him twenty yards in the direction of the temple.

The boys had just destroyed the last Jack bot when they noticed everything was quiet. Katnappe had stopped attacking them to stare dumfounded behind them. They shared the expression, having never seen anyone get the best of Chase, and not knowing what to do next.

Wuya breathed through her teeth as she grinned in satisfaction at the mighty Chase Young struggling to his knees and clutching his side, glaring with sharp predatory reptilian eyes. he stood, and the two circled each other, gathering their strength and Wuya's hand glowed a deeper green then before and pulled back to strike as Chase transformed and lunged forward to tare her head off.

Just as they lunged though, a blur of green flew right between them, shoving them to the ground. When they both looked up they were shocked at who stood between the two aggressors, back to back and hand in hand.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: I'm Baaaaccckkk!<strong>

**...sorta...**

**life lately has got complicated and stressful and for the first time in a few weeks I have time too myself, so I took this opportunity to finally write a chapter. **

**I did this in an hour so bare with me if its not as epic as it could have been.**

**Thank you all who have stayed loyal to this, and thank you all who have followed and faved this despite the Hiatus. **

**and now I'm going to bed. **

**...zzzzzzz**


	26. Choice

Chapter 26

"Kimiko?" Chase gasped at his daughter who stood before him with pleading eyes.

"Raimundo!" Wuya hissed. Her fire going out at the appearance of her ex-apprentice who glared at her as he stood between her and her enemies "_Move_…"

"Step aside." Chase ordered calmly, once again ready to pounce the Heylin witch.

"Dad, this has to end now!" Chase almost stepped back in shock at the authority in his daughters voice.

Wuya was not going to allow herself to be distracted and prepared to summon her flames again. "You worthless brat! Get out of the way!"

"Not gonna happen Wuya," Raimundo growled, "As long as I'm standing, you're never getting close to Kimiko. Or Chase. Or _any_ of the Xiaolin dragons!" Wuya hissed and snapped back as if she'd been hit. She didn't expect this _at all_.

"Stay out of this, Kimiko." If his reptile form didn't alter his voice, one could feel the concern in Chase's words. Kimiko didn't need to hear it to know it was there, and return it in her own.

"A great warrior once told me 'we are one.' It took me a very long time…but I know what he meant now." She smiled and squeezed Raimundo's hand.

"But he…"

"Xiaolin? Heylin?" Kimiko gestured to the armies "Look around you, how much better are we then them right now?" Chase followed her gaze to the mass of warriors.

Omi and Clay stood in silent awe at the scene while Dojo took his place once more on Clay's shoulder with a hopeful smile. Katnappe and Jack stood not far away looking thoughtful and confused respectively. The other Heylin had reverted back to cats and stood aside waiting, but it appeared they we're listening as well.

Chase's attention was brought back by Raimundo. "You said we all try to prove were not what people assume we are. Maybe sometimes we simply need the _chance_ to prove it." A proud smile was exchanged between him and Kimiko.

Chase look at the two with an unreadable expression, but his mind and soul were racing. Could he?

The rain that had been slowing finally stopped, and a familiar wind flew down from the parting clouds and onto the warrior, carrying a voice with a simple message.

He can.

The lizard nodded and shifted back to a man. A warm smile on his face as he held out his arms for his daughter, who happily ran the short distance to hug him.

"Jack now!" Wuya yelled. Said genius reached for his watch when someone grabbed his wrist.

"No!" All eyes were on Katnappe for her action. She ignored it, sighing, "They're right …" She glanced at Jack sadly but didn't look back as she released him and walked forward to stand between Omi and Clay. "…I'm done."

All were shocked; the Dragons more than anything, while all other Heylin looked conflicted. The cats in particular we're close to her for obvious reasons and didn't know if they liked the development. Jack just stood frozen in place and gapping at her.

Wuya was boiling with rage but tried to keep her composure. This was clear in her voice. "Fine, then you can die with the Xiaolin and the other traitor."

With a smug grin Kimiko reached into her pocket "You won't be as big of a threat without your army. TIGERS PRIDE!" She held the wu high and in second every cat moved to stand behind her and Chase on the battlefield.

Omi Clay and Katnappe followed as well with proud smiles as Wuya seethed. "Jack! I said now!" The lone Goth boy finally came out of his statue like state and looked between Wuya and the now much larger army. His shoulders sank, and with finality he dropped his watch too the ground and stepped on it as he walked to stand beside Katnappe.

Wuya's scream of furry made a few cracks in the temple walls.

Chase was unfazed, an arm still around his daughter. "Let it go Wuya. It may be time to end this feud. And put the past behind us."

"_never_!" Her voice seemed too summon a crash of thunder, Kimiko refused to remove her eyes from Wuya through most of the scene, and noticed the green glow that had begun to build behind her back. She jumped forward to intercept her just as she shoved Raimundo aside and prepared to fire at Chase.

"KIMIKO!" Raimundo and Chase yelled in terror as the she charged the witch. Kimiko had grabbed Wuya's wrist in time to point the green energy blast toward the sky, but before either could intervein Wuya had tried to get a hold of the Tigers Pride in Kimiko's hand, and the Wu began to glow.

"Wuya I challenge you to a Xiaolin showdown, no sheng gong wu." Kimiko yelled quickly.

"Then what would be the point?" Wuya scoffed; annoyed the showdown would not be on her terms.

"If I win you leave and never return…"

Wuya smiled "And if I win?"

"...you get the temple and everything with it..."

Her fellow Xiaolin roared in protest "Kimiko! No! Don't do it! This is foolish!"

She smiled reassuringly over her shoulder. "I know what I'm doing…"

"I accept."

Kimiko turned back with determination. "The game is a race across the cliffs, first to get the wu wins, if you fall you lose."

"Let's go. Xiaolin Showdown!" Wuya and Kim smiled and glared respectively as they summoned the arena.

The valley morphed and cracked like it was on a tectonic plate during a massive earthquake. Pillars of rocks varying in size sprang up, a raging river rose and fell beneath them and two strips of land stood on either side of them. Since all were now Xiaolin only one side was occupied. Wuya and Kimiko stood on even pillars at the begging of the long line of pillars, and the tigers Pride floated glowing above the tallest cliff at the other end.

"Gong Yi Tumpi!"

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong>

**Love a Showdown! New I could fit one in here!**

**I'm gonna try to finish this within the month :) **

**call it my birthday present to finish my most popular story.**

**I just want to say thank you to everyone for the kind review and constant favorites. It really means a lot to me. **

**One more Chapter plus an epilogue! Stay Tuned!**


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